1. Political Cartoons and
Editorials
November 17, 2008

2. What is this cartoon about?
How do you know?

3. What’s the point of using a
cartoon?
• Isn’t it easier to just write what
you mean?
– Can make complex ideas simpler
– Can “get the point” quicker
– Inform the electorate
– Symbolism

4. How have political cartoons
impacted life?
• Thomas Nast -->
“father of the
editorial cartoon”
(late 1800’s-early
1900’s)
• Benjamin Franklin’s
“Join or Die” (1745)

7. World War I Cartoons

9. World
War II
Cartoons

11. The Power
of Cartoons
Today

12. Common Symbolism
• Uncle Sam = United States
• Canada = Beaver
• Russia = Bear
• China = Dragon
• Capitalist = “top hat”
• Can you think of any more?

13. Let’s Practice…

20. What is an editorial?
• “An article in a publication giving the
opinion of its editors on a given topic or
current event.”

21. Good editorials…
• Are opinion based
• Are backed up with evidence
• Try to persuade the reader
• Try to understand the opposing
viewpoint
• Are usually about a social problem
• Are emotional-- without being over the
top.

22. Bad Editorials
• A Scientist’s Folly
• The Seating Chart Shuffle

23. RADIO!

24. Homework
• You will create, illustrate, and explain
your own political cartoon
--OR--
• Write an editorial on the topic of your
choosing