Thanks so much for purchasing this resource! This activity has students analyzing American political cartoons from between 1869 and 1941 that have

Transcription

1 Thanks so much for purchasing this resource! This activity has students analyzing American political cartoons from between 1869 and 1941 that have either positive or negative views of America's immigration policies. For each of the 11 cartoons, students must determine who the target is (Chinese, Irish, Italian, etc), whether it is pro or antiimmigration, and provide an analysis of the cartoon's message. I have the students work on these in cooperative learning groups in class so they can discuss what they feel each cartoon's message is. As the students work, I play music and give them about 5 minutes to analyze each image before having them move on to the next one. At the end, I project the images and have groups share their analysis and we talk about each. This leads to a lively and engaging lesson often one of the most powerful and memorable of the year with how hot immigration is in the news today! With that in mind, I do encourage you to be mindful of your student s opinions and individual backgrounds. This is a discussion that can often lead to heated debates and become very personal for some students. I always ensure that I am guiding the discussion in a responsible way that allows students to voice their opinions but never in a way that might be hurtful to others. Thanks for reading, purchasing, and best of luck!!!!

2 Immigrant at the Gate (1904) In this cartoon from New York Weekly, Uncle Sam holds his nose from the smell of an Eastern European immigrant at the gate of America who is carrying with him poverty, disease, anarchy, and desecration of the Sabbath.

3 The Only One Barred Out (1886) In this cartoon, a Chinese man sits outside the Golden Gate of Liberty because he has been banned from entering the US along with communists, hoodlums, and socialists. However, he carries with him industry, order, peace and sobriety, making the US look poor for keeping him out.

4 The American River Ganges (1871) This cartoon from Harper s Weekly depicts Roman Catholic clergy as crocodiles invading America's shore to devour the nation's schoolchildren--white, black, American Indian, and Chinese. The public school building stands as a fortress against the threat of theocracy, but it has been bombarded and flies the flag upside down to signal distress. The Ganges River in India was closely related to religious superstitions to Americans, and the cartoonist is saying that the Roman Catholic Church s superstitions were a threat to American children

5 The Most Recently Discovered Wild Beast (1881) - This cartoon Judy presents the Irish American as a dangerous, caged animal who incited violence in America and back in Ireland against British rule. American periodicals at the time often criticized Irish immigrants for their poverty and manners, their supposed laziness and lack of discipline, their public drinking style, their catholic religion, and their capacity for criminality and collective violence

6 Regarding the Italian Population (1884) This cartoon from The Mascot shows Italian immigrants as a nuisance to pedestrians for their supposed gambling in the streets, how they sleep many people in one small tenement, and violent fighting. It presents two ways of dealing with them killing them by drowning and locking them up and arresting them. In the 1880 s Italians in New York faced harsh bigotry and racism and were often portrayed as violent, amoral people.

7 Uncle Sam s Lodging House (1882) - This cartoon, published in the magazine Puck, reinforces the stereotype of the Irishman as an essentially combative troublemaker. Uncle Sam reprimands him, "Look here, you, everybody else is quiet and peaceable, and you're all the time a-kicking up a row!" The editorial that accompanied the cartoon asserted: "the raw Irishman in America is a nuisance, his son a curse. They never assimilate; the second generation simply shows an intensification of all the bad qualities of the first....they are a burden and a misery to this country."

8 The Irish Declaration of Independence (1883) -- This cartoon, published in 1883, portrays a stereotypical image of the Irish American woman who is large, with big feet and muscular arms and a violent, domineering temper. This image of the Irish woman as large, coarse, and vulgar reinforces the idea that the Irish are unnatural, measured by their deviance from normative gender roles.

9 My Children (1941) This cartoon from 1941 shows a more welcome US than earlier negative portrayals of immigrants. Lady Liberty opens her arms to immigrants of all European descent and calls them my children.

10 The German-American (1869) This cartoon from Cincinnati shows German immigrants quickly turning their backs on new German immigrants to America. In each scene a recent immigrant from Germany looks for help but is rebuked by a German denying his heritage and looking down on the new arrival. It shows how quickly Americans forget where they come from.

11 Looking Backward (1893) This Puck cartoon criticizes the hypocrisy of Americans whose own families were once immigrants but now try to deny new immigrants to America. It shows a young new German immigrant coming off a boat but being greeting by wealthy looking men telling him to stop and not enter. However, their shadows show that they themselves come from poor immigrant families exactly like the young men they are trying to stop. It says, They would close to the newcomer the bridge that carried them and their fathers over.

12 Just So (1879) This cartoon ridicules the hypocrisy of racist Americans against Chinese immigrants. It shows a drunk, passed out hoodlum saying of the Chinese, It ain t their color I mind, it s their habits I object to. However, the Chinese are hard at work behind him, while he is hiccupping from drunkenness.

13 Name Immigration Cartoons from American History

14 Short Answer Questions Short Answer: After analyzing the primary source cartoons, answer the following questions in the space provided. 1. How have attitudes towards immigrants changed over time? 2. What groups have faced prejudice over time? 3. Should immigration be restricted? Why/Why not? 4. Why can t America have a completely open border? 5. Are there legitimate grounds for denying people or groups of people admission to the United States? 6. Are there differences between past immigrant groups and current?

15 Name Immigration Cartoons from American History The German American 1869 German Anti Complains how Germans do not attempt to learn English or adopt American Culture. The American River Ganges 1871 Catholics Anti Shows evil looking alligators that look like the Pope attacking American shores. Just So 1879 Chinese Pro Shows the hypocrisy of an American who is drunk complaining about the work habits of Chinese. Recently Discovered Wild Beast 1881 Irish Anti Compares Irish people to wild animals that must be caged. Uncle Sam s Lodging House 1882 Europeans Anti Show s ugly stereotypes of European immigrants being lazy, drunk, or loud driving Uncle Sam crazy. Irish Declaration of Indepenence 1883 Irish Anti An ugly looking Irish woman is looking to get in a fight, a common stereotype of the Irish. Regarding the Italian Population 1884 Italians Anti Says that Italians are criminals who play card games and use violence and should be killed off. Only One Barred out 1886 Chinese Pro Says that it is hypocritical to ban Chinese while other immigrant groups are allowed into the US Looking Backward 1893 Europeans Pro Immigrant at the Gate 1904 ALL Anti Shows the hypocisy of not wanting a new immigrant to come here when the same people had ancestors who were once immigrants. Shows a poor looking immigrant who carries disease and anarchy into the US and should be denied entry. My Children 1941 All Positive Says that America should welcome all immigrants as her children. Thanks so much for your purchase! You can find more great resources for US History :