Task: Reading and Interpreting Cartoons
As an extension of our unit on "The Growth of America's Cities, 1870-1900" from the text Understanding the American Promise: a Brief History, we will be looking at cartoons from the era and analyzing their meanings. You will be working in triads, groups of three, to discuss, analyze and interpret the cartoons. Each cartoon is accompanied by questions that will help you critically consider the visual symbols and metaphors, visual distortions, irony in words and images, stereotypes and caricature, features of visual argument, and the uses and misuses of political cartoons. Following the discussions you will produce written analyses of the cartoons.
These historical political cartoons represent some of the pressing political and social issues that had grown during the second Industrial Revolution, causing tremendous social, economic and cultural upheaval and conflict. The era was a "rendezvous" of conflicting values, hopes, and expectations among diverse people groups: immigrants from Europe and Asia, Native American tribes, settlers, industrialists, politicians, capitalists, former African American slaves, women and children laborers, state and federal governments.
Each page contains a cartoon that represents a cartoonist's idea of labor and industry, immigration, child labor, or politics. Your task is to work together in your small group, consider the questions related to each of the cartoons during your conversation, and discuss the meanings and the messages of the cartoon. Following that, each person will choose three of the cartoons and write a single paragraph of visual analysis for each of cartoons chosen. Your final task will be to analyze a political cartoon of your own choosing.
Note: Immigration has two cartoons. Check the drop down box to find "Welcome to America."