Historical Political Cartoons

Students:  I have explored these Web sites and wrote comments about each one.  Be sure you read the WARNING below from the Library of Congress.

Warning
Website visitors should be warned that several of the words, descriptions, and images in these 19th-century caricatures are considered racially offensive by today’s standards. The materials are presented in order to give an accurate historical picture of American political prints in the 19th century. 

It's No Laughing Matter   http://lcweb2.loc.gov/learn/features/political_cartoon/index.html

Analyzing Political Cartoons:  What makes funny cartoons seriously persuasive?

Cartoonists' persuasive techniques do. All cartoonists have access to a collection of tools that help them get their point across. Some of these techniques work "behind the scenes." You might not even notice them unless you know what you are looking for. In this activity, you'll get to take apart real-world cartoons--and learn how to spot the methods behind the message.

American Political Prints: 1766-1876 http://loc.harpweek.com/LCPoliticalCartoons/IndexTopicsList.asp  Harper’s Weekly index of historical PCs.  Excellent resource!

American Political Prints: 1766-1876 http://loc.harpweek.com/  Excellent!  This is from the Library of Congress and very extensive.  It has a good WARNING about the offensiveness of historical cartoons to people today.   

Scartoons: Racial Satire and the Civil War http://xroads.virginia.edu/~CAP/SCARTOONS/cartoons.html

Excellent text and political cartoons with analysis and historical background information.  Perfect for GATE PC project and WEB page project.

Civil War Cartoons  http://xroads.virginia.edu/~CAP/SCARTOONS/cartoons.html  
Good size cartoons and text.

America in Caricature 1765-1865  http://www.indiana.edu/~liblilly/cartoon/cartoons.html
 This is another very good site for PCs of American history.  Not much text.  Students can analyze the cartoons themselves as part of the PC project.

Political Cartoons and Cartoonists   http://www.boondocksnet.com/cartoons/
19th Century cartoons edited by Jim Zwick.  Lots of ads.

The World of Thomas Nast The cartoonist of Harper’s Weekly.  PCs from Reconstruction period, e.g. Andrew Johnson, Boss Tweed.

Political Cartoons and Cartoonists 
Ads in margins.  Good text.  Small cartoons.

Theodore Roosevelt and the Image of Empire (Cartoons)
PCs for HS curriculum.

Swan   A Library of Congress site.

Herblock's History   20th-21st century PCs

Oliphant   Library of Congress.  Vietnam to Bill Clinton PCs.

The Election of 1896

Edmund Valtman (The Cartoonist Who Came in from the Cold) (About)
Cold War era cartoons for HS curriculum.

Herbert Hoover Presidential Cartoons  PCs for HS Curriculum

Dr. Suess Went to War http://orpheus.ucsd.edu/speccoll/dspolitic/Frame.htm
A catalog of PCs from 1940-1942 with a bio of Dr. Suess.  Indexed by subject or year at the top.
The Political Dr. Suess http://www.tfaoi.com/aa/1aa/1aa291.htm
… there is "a disconnect between what we usually think of as Dr. Seuss and the content of the cartoons." However, many Dr. Seuss's whimsical children's books also contain serious themes. Yertle the Turtle, for example, is a cautionary tale against dictators. The Lorax contains a strong environmental message. The Sneetches is a plea for racial tolerance. Horton Hears a Who is a parable about the American Occupation of Japan. And The Butter Battle Book pillories the Cold War and nuclear deterrence. Even the Cat in the Hat's famous red-and-white-striped hat has a political predecessor in the top hat Uncle Sam wears in Dr. Seuss's wartime cartoons.

Contemporary Political Cartoons:

·         Political Cartoons.com   Current PCs.  Lots of ads.

·         Daryl Cagle's Professional Cartoonists Index

o        2000

·         Cartoonery   Current PCs in color.  One cartoonist’s work- Chris Hiers.

·         Doonesbury Electronic Town Hall Doonesbury at SLATE- a news magazine published by Washington Post & Newsweek, as far as I can tell from the About Us.  II

·         Political Cartoons - Ohio State University

·         Teachers' Guide for Cagle's Cartoonists Index   Lesson Plans, Scavenger Hunt, etc. for Elem, Middle, and H.S.  Focuses on current events and PCs.  Looks good!

·         USA Today

·         Campaign 2000  Current PC Index by Daryl Cagle, published by SLATE.  PCs by many cartoonists, many topics.

·         Genesis of American Political Caricature   Good stuff but too many pop-ups.

·         Political Cartoons and Cartoonists (Jim Zwick) Good index.  Ads in margins.

·         Editorial Cartoons and Caricatures This is a group of color caricatures and political cartoon pieces from work done for the Boston Herald and PBS's show on Vice Presidents..."Running Mate".

·         Mackay Political Cartoons Current events in color.