POLITICALCARTOONExplanations
GROUP1
Retrievedfrom:http://users.humboldt.edu/ogayle/hist110/unit4/SectionalIssues.html
ThispoliticalcartoonpublishedintheBritishMagazinePunchon
November8,1856accuratelypredicted,asmanyinAmericanswere
beginningtorealize,thatthebusinessofslaverywastearingthenation
apart.Here,aslave,standingbetweenasouthernarmedandroughclothedplanterandasolemnbusinessmanfromtheNorth,tearsaparta
mapoftheUnitedStates,seemingtofollowtheMason-DixonLine-the
boundaryshowingageographic,ifnotpolitical,dividinglinebetween
NorthandSouth.
GROUP2
Retrievedfrom:https://adastracomix.com/
Abolitionistcartoonsatirizingslaveholdersracist
justificationsforenslavementofblacks.Awhite
couplepassingagroupofslavelaborerssays,‘Poor
things,theycan’ttakecareofthemselves.’
IllustrationsoftheAntislaveryAlmanacfor1840.
Whiteslookeduponslavesasuneducatedand
unabletoeventakecareofthemselves,however,in
actuality,itwastheslavesthatknewhowto
accomplishtasksasdepictedinthepicture.
GROUP3
Retrievedfrom:http://www.sonofthesouth.net/leefoundation/civil-war-feb-1861/civil-war-slave-cartoon.htm
ThiscartoondepictstheNorth’sstanceonholdingfirmtotheir
wayoflifewithfarmingcornandtheSouth’swayoflifegrowing
cotton.TheSouthsays,“Don’ttalktome,Sir!”andisportrayedas
asoutherngentlemenwithweapons.TheNorthreplieswhile
makingahandgestureandbeingdressedincityattireofatophat
with,“Oh!Youbederned!”Inthebackgroundisaslavewatching
toseewhatwillhappenbetweenthem.Themeaningbehindthe
cartoonwasthattheUnionwasatastandstillwiththedivisionand
theslavebeingcaughtinthemiddleasanunfortunateobserverofwhatwouldhappen.
BETWEENTHELINES
GROUP4
Retrievedfrom:https://apus-b.wikispaces.com/political+cartoons
Thiscartoonisnotasslantedasmanyoftheothercartoonsoftheday.For
one,itispublishedinHarper’sWeekly,whichwasapopularmagazinewith
littletonopoliticalaffiliation.ItwastothattimeastheEconomististoday.
Boththemagazineandthecartoonpublishedwithinseemtoberelatively
impartial.Superficially,thecartoonmerelydepictsLincoln’scampaign
statusinagenerallyunbiasedway.However,whenprobingfurther,one
cannoteapro-Lincolnattitudefromthecartoonist.ThoughtheAfrican
AmericanisaburdenforLincolnthatcouldcausehimtofallintotheraging
watersbelow,Lincolnisportrayedasstandinguprightandsteady.The
calmyetsomberdemeanorthatLincolnhasisnotindicativeofanymajor
panicthatfallingintothecascadeisastrongpossibility.Dallas(the
cartoonist)isshowingthatLincolncansuccessfullymanagethetrekover
theturbulentflowbeneathhimaslongashisgripontheconstitutionstays
unyielding.Attheverybottomofthecartoon,underthetitle,thereis
somesmallprintaddingtothepro-Lincolnundertone.Itsays“Don’tgive
uptheship.”ThiscouldbeareferencetoaquotebyJamesLawrence,a
UnitedStatesnavalofficerintheearly1800s.Lawrencewasthecaptainof
theUSSChesapeakeduringtheWarof1812.Hewasmortallywounded
duringbattleandutteredthosefamouslastwordsreferencedbythe
cartoonist.Theinclusionofthisquoteinthecartooncouldsuggeststhat
supportersofLincolnshouldnotgiveuptheirstanceonslaverynomatter
howtheconflictoveritgoes.Thisquotecouldalsobemeanttoreinforce
theimageofLincolnasacaptain,steeringtheshipofAmericathrough
treacherouswaters.
GROUP5
Retrievedfrom:http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/cartoon-of-abraham-lincoln-feeding-bedriddenblack-slave-news-photo/96738811
Abrahamisdepictedhereasgivingnourishmentto
aslavethroughemancipation.Thiscartoonis
implyingthattheEmancipationwasgoingtoheal
thesicknessthatslaveryhadcausedandhewas
theonethatwasprovidingit.
BETWEENTHELINES