Transcript Political Cartoon Analysis:::: Puerto Rico

POLITICAL CARTOON ANALYSIS::::
PUERTO RICO
By: Nick O’Connell and Brandon Armitt
APUSH Block #5
October, 2014
CARTOON::: SCHOOL BEGINS
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CARTOON ANALYSIS
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 Representations:
 1. Uncle Sam: United States is the “Benevolent” Dominator
 2. Forward Students: Ignorant Savages [Latin American Countries] Whom Which the
United States has the Devine Task to Govern/Bring to Stability
 3. Rear Students: Grateful States [Arizona, California, New Mexico, Etc.] Whom Which the
United States has Transformed into Stable, Thriving States
 4. Chalk-Board Content: Ideals Behind Imperialism -> Advance World Civilization Through
Increase in Power
 5. African American Cleaner: African American’s Still the Forgotten Inferior Race
 Symbolism:
 Cartoon is Symbolic of the United State’s Ideas that they Would Control Territories Until
they can Govern Themselves/Establish Secure Progression
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Excuse to Expand Power Across Breadth of Western Hemisphere
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HISTORICAL CONTEXT
 Time Period: 1898 [Treaty of Paris] – 1917 [Wilson’s New Freedom]
 Presidents:
 Initial:
William McKinley [1898]
 Final:
Woodrow Wilson [1917]
CAUSES OF INTERACTION
 The Spanish-American War [1898]
 Treaty of Paris [Peace Treaty] – December 10, 1898
 Recognition of Cuban Independence
 U.S. Acquisition of Puerto Rico & Guam
 Purchase of Philippines from Spain
 Controversy Surrounding the Treaty – Could America Handle International Territory
in Which Population was of a Different Race & Culture?
 Reasons for Acquiring Puerto Rico:
 Increase World Dominance [Politically & Economically]
 Strategic Naval & Marine Base [ Refueling / Restocking]
EFFECTS OF INTERACTION
 Large Debate over Imperialism
 Formation of the Anti-Imperialist League
 Insular Cases: Debate over Whether Constitutional Rights Followed the
U.S. Flag
 Anti-Imperialists: Yes
 Imperialists: No
 Result: Extension of Rights not Automatic, Power of Decision Belongs to Congress
 Woodrow Wilson’s New Freedom & Moral Diplomacy:
 Demonstrate U.S. Respect Towards Other Nations’ Rights
 Congress in 1917 Granted U.S. Citizenship to the Inhabitants of Puerto Rico
 Limited Self-Government
VALUE OF SOURCE
 Imperialistic Power of United States to Spread for Economic and
Political Gains
 United States Believed they had Devine Right to Govern Inferior
Countries
 America Still Contained its Prejudice Towards African Americans
 Way of Thinking: American-Centric Ideals
 What Will Most Benefit America?
LIMITATIONS OF SOURCE
 Source Depicts America as the “Almighty” World Power
 Value Lost as it Degrades African Americans, Asians, & Other Past-Inferior Races
 African Americans: Still Viewed as Lowest-Class
 Cartoon:
Cleaning the Windows
 Asians: Prohibited from Entering Country [Chinese Exclusion Act]
 Cartoon:
Placed by the Door Symbolizing Inability to Enter America
 Limitation: America Helped Struggling Nations Such as Puerto Rico
Achieve Independence & Stability
ESSENTIAL QUESTION
 To What Extent was US Territorial Expansion a Proper and Legitimate
Policy for the United States to Follow at the Turn of the Nineteenth
Century?
 Justified as it Enabled the United States to Become a World Super-Power in all
Spheres of Society [Politically, Militarily, Economically]
 Expansion Allowed for the Acquisition of Lands that Benefitted Naval & Marine
Operations
 Manifest Destiny Called for Expansion
 Assist Other Countries Revolutions/Desire for Independence