Gilded Age Cartoons

Directions: For each of the following cartoons, examine the image and answer the questions that follow.

#1 History Repeats Itself

What is meant by the term robber baron and to whom (in the larger image does it refer! Why! "he term #robber baron# refers to nobility who maintain their fortune by stealing from lesser citi$ens. %n medie&al times, they were lords who gathered money from 'easants as s'oils of nobility( howe&er, in late )*th and early +,th century -merica, they are big businesses, and trusts, which steal from common farmers and e&en from go&ernment men. #.obber barons# refer here to the big men with the sashes labeling them #trust# and the banners behind them announcing that they are #War, tariff and mono'oly.#

What grou's of 'eo'le are re'resented on the left side of the larger image! /ow do you 0now! For the most 'art, the 'eo'le on the left side of the larger image are wor0ers at the factory in the bac0ground and small farmers. "he factory wor0ers are throwing their wages at the robber barons1 feet, and the farmers are throwing interest for loans away, toward the trusts. "he man in the foreground, howe&er, is a member of 2ongress, and he throws citi$ens1 taxes on the ground at the trusts1 feet, showing that e&en e&eryday citi$ens are affected negati&ely by the large trusts.

"he large man in the foreground holds a sword with the word legislation on it. What do you thin0 this symboli$es! Why! "he #legislation# sword re'resents the fact that legislation is the wea'on that trusts wielded to steal from the common man. %n the 3ilded -ge, there was much legislation 'assed to 'rotect the interests of big business and trusts. "he trust in the foreground of this cartoon wields it menacingly to remind cities of his legislati&e 'ower.

#2 Bosses of the Senate

What is the setting for this cartoon! What is the cartoon4s author suggesting by ha&ing the trusts there! "he setting is the floor of the 5enate. "he #trusts# are there, looming o&er the 5enate, to suggest that the #trusts# are really in charge of the 5enate instead of the other way around.

"he cartoon de'icts two entrances. What is im'lied about each one! "he two entrances are &astly different in sco'e and use. "he #6eo'le1s 7ntrance# is small, 'robably only allowing one or two 'eo'le to enter at a time. /owe&er, it is bloc0ed from use, and loc0ed, effecti&ely 0ee'ing 'eo'le out of the 5enate. "he #7ntrance for 8ono'olists# by contrast, is large enough for the towering trusts to enter. %t is wide o'en, allowing the trusts to come in one after the other.

"here is a quote at the to'9center of the cartoon (on the wall . Whose famous words is it borrowing from! Why do you thin0 the author is using this quote! "his quote is borrowing words from -braham :incoln. "he author uses these words satirically, outlining the fact that the trusts1 and 3o&ernment1s &iew of equality has been 'er&erted to mean that all businesses are equal, instead of all 'eo'le.

"his cartoon was 'ublished in );;*. What im'ortant 'iece of legislation was 'assed in );*,! /ow might this cartoon4s message ha&e contributed to that law4s 'assage! "he 5herman -ntitrust -ct was 'assed in );*,, effecti&ely ma0ing these forms of trusts illegal. "his may ha&e in 'art been 'assed due to awareness for the undemocratic nature of such trusts 'romoted by cartoons such as these.

#3 What a F nny !ittle Go"ern#ent

Who is the large character in this cartoon! Who<what might the ob=ects in his hand re'resent! Why do you thin0 the author made the 'rimary figure so much larger than the ob=ects in his hand! "he large figure in this cartoon is >ohn D. .oc0efeller. /e symbolically holds the White /ouse in his hand, showing that his 'ower is greater than e&en that of the 6resident1s. /e is larger than the White /ouse to show that his 'ower dwarfs that of the 3o&ernment1s.

What does it a''ear the large figure is doing with the ob=ects in his hand! (?ee' the cartoon4s title in mind as you answer this question. /ow do you 0now this is what he is doing! >ohn D. .oc0efeller is examining the White /ouse, almost bemusedly. "he ca'tion #What a funny little 3o&ernment# calls to attention the ha'ha$ard way the trusts handle go&ernment. "here is a lac0 of res'ect and fear of the 3o&ernment from >ohn D. .oc0efeller, a''arently shared by the rest of the trust9owners and mono'olists.

%dentify one other feature of this cartoon and ex'lain the symbolism in&ol&ed. -nother feature of the cartoon is the 2a'itol in the bac0ground. %t has been transformed into a factory, showing the almost mechanical nature the 3o&ernment has ta0en on in this era. 7&en the 3o&ernment has been transformed into a tool of trusts and manufacturers