Unit 5 World War I Eastridge

World War I Cartoons: Propaganda? Overview In this activity, students examine political cartoons created before and during World War and evaluate their persuasiveness.

Procedure 1. Focus Activity.

a. What is a primary source? i. For example, what would be an example of a primary source

for World War I? ii. A primary source is a document or object created during the

period being studied. 1. Examples of primary sources for World War I would be:

a. Newspapers b. Treaties c. Photographs d. Letters e. Diaries f. All were created at the time of the event (WWI).

2. Political cartoons and propaganda posters created at the time are primary

sources.

3. You are going to analyze some World War I–era political cartoons using a checklist, the CARTOONS Checklist.

a. Review the checklist. Notice that it is similar to S.O.A.P.S.Tone.S. b. Select a partner and work as a pair to analyze the cartoons.

4. Choose four (4) of the World War I cartoons and complete the CARTOON

checklist for each one.

5. CARTOON checklist sheets are due at the end of the period.

©2014 Constitutional Rights Foundation / www.crf-usa.org / A Fire Waiting to Be Lit: The Origins of World War I 2

Political cartoons comment on issues of the day. Their purpose is to persuade the audience to ac-cept a particular point of view on an issue. They use various techniques to persuade and make apoint. To better understand any cartoon, use this checklist to examine it.

Context. Cartoons comment on events or issues of the day. To understand a cartoon, you needto know about the issue or event and maybe even a little about the cartoon. What is the car-toon commenting on? When and where was the cartoon created?

Audience.. Cartoons are aimed at a particular audience. Who do you think is the intendedaudience? Why? What emotion or reaction is the cartoon trying to evoke from the audience?Explain.

Reality.. Cartoons often portray real people, places, or things. Cartoonists even label themsometimes to make sure you don’t miss them. What, if any, real people, places, or things arein this cartoon? List them.

Tongue in cheek. Although most political cartoons are not meant to be laugh-out-loud funny,they still make use of humor, particularly irony, sarcasm, mockery, or satire. Is the cartoonmaking fun of someone or something? Look for examples.

Overstatement. Cartoons often use overstatement, distortion, caricature, exaggeration, andeven stereotypes. These overstatements are often the @rst things you notice. What examplescan you @nd in this cartoon? What point is the cartoon making by using them?

One thing like another. Many cartoons make use of analogies, comparisons, or evenmetaphors. They say that one thing is like something else. What analogy, if any, does thiscartoon make? What is the point of the comparison?

Nuance. Some things in a cartoon you see right away. Other important things can be in thebackground. Look carefully at the cartoon. Are there small details that help make a point?What are they and what point are they making?

Symbols. Cartoons usually employ commonly recognized symbols. For example, Uncle Samappears in cartoons as a symbol of the U.S. What symbols does the cartoon use? What do theystand for?

After going through the checklist, answer three )nal questions:

1. What point of view is the cartoon expressing?

2. Is the cartoon persuasive? Why or why not? Cite evidence to support your conclusion.

3. Do you agree with the cartoon’s point of view? Explain.

CARTOONS CHECKLIST

©2014 Constitutional Rights Foundation / www.crf-usa.org / A Fire Waiting to Be Lit: The Origins of World War I 3

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER FOR CARTOONS

Name _________________________________ Date Before answering the questions 1B3 below, use this graphic organizer to help you analyze the cartoon.

Title of Cartoon: ____________________________________________________________________________

Context.

Audience.

Reality.

Tongue in cheek.

Overstatement.

One thing like another.

Nuance.

Symbols.

1. What point of view is thecartoon expressing?

2. Is the cartoon persuasive?Why or why not? Cite evidenceto support your conclusion.

3. Do you agree with thecartoon’s point of view?Explain.

©2014 Constitutional Rights Foundation / www.crf-usa.org / A Fire Waiting to Be Lit: The Origins of World War I 4

A1

A2

“Chain of Friendship,” published in the American newspaper the B

roo

klyn

Eag

lein July 1914.

“Het Gekkenhuis (Oud Liedje, Nieuwe Wijs)” [Insane Asylum (Old Song, New Tune)] by Louis Raemaekers, published in

Amsterdam, Holland, in 1915.

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B1 B2

“Chain of Frie

ndship,” p

ublish

ed in the American

newspaper th

e B

roo

klyn E

aglein July 1914.

A 1909 cove

r cartoon on the American

magazin

e P

uckin 1909 included two non-European

playe

rs in the

naval arm

s race.

A 1909 cover cartoon on the American magazine

Pu

ck.

Cartoon from the French magazine L

e P

etit

Jo

urn

al, Oct. 1908.

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C2C1

“Bravo, Belgium!,” published in the British magazine Punchon August 12, 1914.

“The Boiling Point,” published in the British magazine P

un

chon Oct. 2, 1912.