1. Analyzing Political Cartoons Instruction and Practice

2. Explanation A political cartoon is a type of drawing used to present opinions, comments, or criticisms of a situation, person, or event. Cartoons help us understand information by presenting it in a visual and memorable way. Cartoonists use many different techniques to achieve their goals: A political cartoon is a type of drawing used to present opinions, comments, or criticisms of a situation, person, or event. Cartoons help us understand information by presenting it in a visual and memorable way. Cartoonists use many different techniques to achieve their goals: Caricature - exaggerating one or more physical features - a large mouth to show someone who often speaks out on an issue. Caricature - exaggerating one or more physical features - a large mouth to show someone who often speaks out on an issue. Symbols - using a recognizable item to communicate an idea - an elephant to represent the Republican Party. Symbols - using a recognizable item to communicate an idea - an elephant to represent the Republican Party. Caption - having the characters speak or summarizing the message in a few words above or below the cartoon. Caption - having the characters speak or summarizing the message in a few words above or below the cartoon.

3. Model for Interpretation List the objects or people that you see in the cartoon. List the objects or people that you see in the cartoon. Which objects/people are symbols? What do you think each one means? Which objects/people are symbols? What do you think each one means? Are there any important clues (words, places, numbers) in the cartoon? Are there any important clues (words, places, numbers) in the cartoon? Describe what is happening in the four quadrants of the cartoon. Describe what is happening in the four quadrants of the cartoon. What is the political or social issue presented in the cartoon? What is the political or social issue presented in the cartoon? What is the cartoonist’s viewpoint on this issue? How do you know? What is the cartoonist’s viewpoint on this issue? How do you know? Who might agree/disagree with the cartoon? Why? Who might agree/disagree with the cartoon? Why?

4. Now You Try: Practice analyzing each of the following cartoons. Compare your answer to the answer given after each cartoon.

5. Resource: http://townhall.com/political-cartoons/http://townhall.com/political-cartoons/

6. Correct Interpretation This cartoon is making the point that many Americans care too much about the miniscule happenings in lives of celebrities (and other news that doesn’t impact the world) and not enough about topics that could genuinely impact us worldwide. There is also a reference to “peaking as a species” which could indicate that the author feels humans will start failing as a species and start dying off if we can’t get our priorities straight. This cartoon is making the point that many Americans care too much about the miniscule happenings in lives of celebrities (and other news that doesn’t impact the world) and not enough about topics that could genuinely impact us worldwide. There is also a reference to “peaking as a species” which could indicate that the author feels humans will start failing as a species and start dying off if we can’t get our priorities straight.

7. Resource:http://townhall.com/political-cartoons/2014/01/24/115430

8. This cartoon is in reference to peoples’ outcry over their privacy invasion by the NSA. President Obama made promises to people to change how the NSA operates, and in the cartoon he did this by adding mascara to the “all seeing eye” which is labelled NSA. According to the cartoon, the American public (labelled by American Flag) is literally hiding in their houses trying to stay out of the NSA’s sight. This cartoon is in reference to peoples’ outcry over their privacy invasion by the NSA. President Obama made promises to people to change how the NSA operates, and in the cartoon he did this by adding mascara to the “all seeing eye” which is labelled NSA. According to the cartoon, the American public (labelled by American Flag) is literally hiding in their houses trying to stay out of the NSA’s sight.

9. Resource: http://townhall.com/political-cartoons/2014/01/24/115407

10. This cartoon is in reference to the fact that while the NFL is making the news constantly for injuries that are expected with football (concussions), the nation (represented by Uncle Sam) is getting figurative concussions from repeatedly hitting our debt ceiling. Each time we hit the debt ceiling the nation must cut unnecessary expenditures until Congress can work out a new budget or raise the ceiling….which we then run into again. This cartoon is in reference to the fact that while the NFL is making the news constantly for injuries that are expected with football (concussions), the nation (represented by Uncle Sam) is getting figurative concussions from repeatedly hitting our debt ceiling. Each time we hit the debt ceiling the nation must cut unnecessary expenditures until Congress can work out a new budget or raise the ceiling….which we then run into again.