analyzing attitudes through political cartoonsmr-robinson.com/ushistory/unit 2/day 3 immigration...

Placard 6A

Who does the man wearing the hat represent? The manwith the pigtail? The man being eaten?

What is the great fear that the artist refers to in thecaption? How does the cartoon represent that fear?

What does the artist see as the end result of the fear?How does the cartoon depict that end result?

What is the artist’s attitude toward immigrants? Explain.

Placard 6B

What are the ships dumping on the Statue of Liberty’sisland?

What is the statue thinking? Why?

What is ironic, perhaps even hypocritical, about thestatue’s reaction?


97Analyzing Attitudes to Immigration Through Political Cartoons

S t u d e n t H a n d o u t 6 A

Analyzing Attitudes Through Political Cartoons

© Teachers’ Curriculum Institute

For each placard, quickly sketch the missing portion of the cartoon in the appropriate section. Then carefully examine the cartoon, and discuss and answer the corresponding questions.

DD1_5 and 6.qxp:Layout 1 4/9/07 12:53 PM Page 97

Placard 6C

What is happening in this cartoon?

Why have the people in the holes set traps? How are theimmigrants reacting?

What are the police doing? Why do you think they aredepicted as they are?


Placard 6D


Who is parting the waters? Do you know what Biblicalfigure he represents?

Who do the people walking between the wavesrepresent? What do the waves represent?

How is Europe represented? The United States? Why?


98 Activity 6




Placard 6E


The sign above Uncle Sam reads: “U.S. Ark of Refuge.”What is Uncle Sam offering the immigrants? Why?

What might the figures in the clouds in the upper rightrepresent?


Placard 6F


How is Uncle Sam portrayed? What is he holding?

Which of the people on Uncle Sam’s list were born in the United States? Why are they depicted asimmigrants?

What is the meaning of the sign hanging on the Statueof Liberty?






Placard 6G


What do the written notices on the walls say? To whichlegislative act do you think they refer?

What does the first part of the caption mean? How dothe three characters in the cartoon relate to it?

What fear is expressed in this cartoon?


Placard 6H


Whom do the bandits represent? Why?

What is Uncle Sam’s reaction to what is happening?

What is the significance of the image of PresidentMcKinley in the smoke of Uncle Sam’s cigar?


100 Activity 6





P l a c a r d M a s t e r 6 A



102 Activity 6

P l a c a r d M a s t e r 6 B


In 1890, Secretary of the Treasury William Windom wanted to turn the island at the base of the Statue of Liberty into a processing point for immigrants. Compare the caption on thepolitical cartoon above to the poem that is inscribed on the base of the statue, which tellsthe world to “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”

Statue of Liberty: “Mr. Windom, if you’re going to make thisisland a garbage heap, I’m going back to France.”



P l a c a r d M a s t e r 6 C


Cas

tle G

arde

n w

as t

he m

ain

proc

essi

ng p

oint

for

imm

igra

nts

befo

re f

acili

ties

at E

llis

Isla

nd w

ere

built

.


104 Activity 6

P l a c a r d M a s t e r 6 D


Part

ing

the

wat

ers

for

Eur

ope’

s re

fuge

es



P l a c a r d M a s t e r 6 E



106 Activity 6

P l a c a r d M a s t e r 6 F


“Yo

u’re

a C

heap

Bun

ch o

f So

rehe

ads

and

You

Can

’t L

and

Her

e.”

DD1_5 and 6.qxp:Layout 1 4/9/07 12:53 PM 6


P l a c a r d M a s t e r 6 G


Every Dog (no distinction of color) has his day. Red Gentleman to Yellow Gentleman:“Pale face ’fraid you crowd him out, as he did me.”


108 Activity 6

P l a c a r d M a s t e r 6 H


The

figur

e in

the

upp

er le

ft o

f th

e ca

rtoo

n is

Pre

side

nt W

illia

m M

cKin

ley.

In S

epte

mbe

r 19

01, L

eon

Czo

lgos

z as

sass

inat

ed M

cKin

ley.

Czo

lgos

z w

as a

n an

arch

ist,

or

som

eone

who

rej

ects

the

nee

d fo

r a

gove

rnm

ent.


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