WHAT ARE

POLITICAL
CARTOONS?
A P O L I T I C A L C A RT O O N I S A T Y P E O F
D RAW I N G U S ED TO P RES EN T OP I N I ON S ,
COMMENTS, OR CRITICISMS OF A
S I T U A T I O N , P E R S O N , O R E V E N T.
C A RT O O N S H E L P U S U N D E R S TA N D
I N F O R M AT I O N BY P R E S E N T I N G I T I N A
V I S U A L A N D M E M O R A B L E W A Y.
C A RT O O N I S T S U S E M A N Y D I F FE R E N T
TECHNIQUES TO ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS:

INFERENCING

SAMPLE POLITICAL
CARTOON

MAKING
INFERENCES

We need to find
clues to get some
answers.
1.

2. We need to add
those clues to what we
already know or have
read.
3. There can be more
than one correct
answer.
4. We need to be able
to support inferences.
**What is the
message from the
picture?

TACOS
Time:When was this documentcreated? I always remind them that they are not
looking for the setting of the cartoon, rather when do they think the author created it?
What clues in the picture can help you figure it out?
Action:What is going on in the picture? What are people doing/saying?
Caption:Write down all the words or text that you see in the picture (captions,
thought bubbles, labels, etc.) What does the cartoon label say? What do you think it
means?
Objects:List everything that is visible in the picture. Watch out the kids can
getveryspecific on this one!
Summary/So what?:What does this have to do with real life? What does this mean?
Why is this important

THE SCRAMBLE FOR AFRICA

The scramble for Africa took place from 1880--1914.

European nations sought to gain wealth by creating colonies in Africa by
controlling the ivory, gold, and diamonds from Africa

Many of the indigenous people would die from warfare and diseases and the
empires Grew wealthy.

Railroads allowed for much faster growth and expansion, other inventions
allowed for faster mining and more deadly warfare.

The competition and distrust over expansion into Africa spilled into politics in Europe. Many of
the monarchs were related and the formation of alliances and militarism even tually Led to

war.

BEFORE EUROPEAN
C O LO N I Z AT I O N

AFTER EUROPEAN
C O LO N I Z AT I O N

The Rhodes Colossus, Striding

From Cape Town to Cairo, 1892