Name: Subere, Julina

: Preino, Regine

C/Y/S: BSES-3A

Selected Political Caricature During the American Era

The political caricature was made by Alfred William MacCoy back in 1985, it was published in August 24,
1907 by Lipang Kalabaw. Alfred William McCoy is an American professor of history and award winning
writer who dedicated his professional career on the research of Southeast Asian History ( specially that
of the Philippines; as well as the study of U.S Foriegn Policy. His interest in Filipino history allowed him
to master the Hiligaynon dialect and understand the political situation, not just the region of Iloilo but of
the whole country. And also with the help of Alfredo Roces, the designer of the book, McCoy published
Philippine Caricature.

Here are the analysis of the Political Caricatures during the American Era

The transition from Spanish colonial period to the American occupation period demonstrated different
strands of changes and shifts in culture, society, and politics. The selected cartoons illustrate not only
the opinion of certain media outfits about the Philippine society during the American period but also
paint a broad image of society and politics under the United States. So as mentioned since this was a
shift of culture society and politics from Spanish colonial period to American occupation this time period
1900s to 1941 not only a sort of commentary of the different cartoons that has published but also it
really pictured the society and politics under the American occupation in the Philippines it really defeats
what is happening and what was the problem, the problem that needs to be addressed during the
American occupation in the Philippines.

The transition from Catholic-centered, Spanish Filipino society to an imperial American assimilated one,
and it's complications were also depicted in the cartoons. So there was a struggle of shifting of culture i
guess so from a Catholic centered meaning prior to the American occupation in the country Filipinos are
known to be conservative but due to the American culture that has been introduced to our country so
the liberal ideas that has coming in is somehow different to the conservative way that we were into, so
that is why there is a complication of transition between a Catholic centered Spanish Filipino culture to
American imperial occupation in the Philippines. Lastly, the cartoons also illustrated the conditions of
poor Filipinos in the Philippines now governed by the United States. From the looks of it, nothing much
has changed. So although there is a change of colonizers from Spaniards to Americans we could also see
from the different cartoons and caricatures that their main concept in producing such cartoons and
caricatures was for them to be able to rely or convey the message that or the condition of the poor
Filipinos in the Philippines it was being neglected by the colonizer but since this cartoon, this caricature
has been an outlet and able for them to have a public commentary on different aspects of society they
were able to see or they were able to relay and convey message that conditions of the Filipinos most
especially those poor Filipinos was given highlights through these cartoons and comic con.

Each individual caricatures recorded national attitudes towards coming of the Americans as well as the
changing times. These caricatures clarify historical information and served as eye opener to the realities
experienced by the people under the American occupation.