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Andy Marlette's editorial cartoons cover timely social and political issues. He's bold, clever and unafraid to hit sensitive topics under the belief that "for the sake of our freedom, we must hold one commandment sacred: Thou shalt not apologize for opinions." 

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Political Cartoons Help Students Unpack the Issues

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Should students talk politics at school? “Yes,” says Brad Lakritz, an 8th grade social studies teacher at James Denman Middle School in San Francisco, “now more than ever.” But debating the issues doesn’t have to mean just gloom and doom. We can also bring humor to the conversation. Lakritz often turns to political cartoons to help students make sense of current events.

Now Lakritz’s students and others can create and share their own political cartoons as part of our newest youth media challenge: Political Cartooning With Mark Fiore .

“People cannot shy away from politics in America anymore. Teaching political cartoons as a way of summarizing a story makes it easy to digest and understand key issues from one side or another. Lakritz said. “Students feel pride in having their voice and perspective seen. Students learn about the perspectives of their classmates, the greater society, and the world.”

KQED’s Political Cartooning youth media challenge invites students to create one-panel political cartoons on any issue, local or national. Cartoons can be hand-drawn or created using digital tools, but they must be original work. (No memes.) 

Drawing (pun intended!) on art and humor, political cartoons are a more inclusive way to start conversations about tough issues, according to Mark Fiore, KQED’s Pulitzer Prize-winning political cartoonist. 

“If you just write an opinionated sentence that says, “I think this and this is why,” people tend to put up their walls or shut down,” Fiore said. “If you bring them in with humor or a clever drawing, they let their guard down and are more receptive to your message or the story you’re trying to tell.” 

Students like the chance to share their views creatively and explore an issue that matters to them. Lisa Ernst’s 6th grade students at Alice Fong Yu (K-8) School in San Francisco embraced their political cartoon project, even during remote learning.

“The students loved the lessons and were totally engaged,” Ernst said. “For some students, their voice is through art, and what better way to do this, then share it through a political cartoon.”

Political Cartooning With Mark Fiore will open for submissions in mid-February. Sign up to be notified when submissions are open and preview the curriculum to start planning.

Want hands-on support for this project? Come to our workshop with Mark Fiore on March 10! Register here .

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Today's political cartoons - August 22, 2024

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Today's political cartoons - August 15, 2024

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5 poll dancing cartoons about Tim Walz

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Cartoon America The Ungentlemanly Art: Political Illustrations

Art Wood, an award-winning political cartoonist himself, collected more than 16,000 political cartoons by hundreds of the leading creators of the 'ungentlemanly art,' a phrase that is commonly used to describe this type of graphic satire. He used the word “illustration” to describe the enormous talent and craft that went into a work of art produced to capture a moment in time. From the nineteenth century's Gilded Age to recent times, political illustrations have appeared in magazines, editorial pages, opinion pages, and even on the front pages of American newspapers. These visual editorials reflect multiple viewpoints conveyed by a wide variety of artistic approaches, including the classic cross hatching techniques of Harper's Weekly cartoonist Thomas Nast, the sweeping brush work of Ding Darling, the rich crayon line work of Rube Goldberg and Bill Mauldin, and the painterly styles of contemporary cartoonists Paul Conrad and Patrick Oliphant. The broad spectrum of political perspectives informs our understanding not only of the past but also of the present.

The Crown Covers a Multitude of Shortcomings

Thomas Nast

Senator James G. Blaine was an extremely popular Republican politician in the nineteenth century. He might have been elected president if he had not been continually dogged by charges of corruption. In 1888, when Blaine returned from a lengthy European trip, he refused to run for president, and instead supported Benjamin Harrison's campaign. However, Blaine's enormous popularity caused cartoonist Thomas Nast (1840–1902) to characterize him as the “uncrowned king” of the Republican Party. Nast defined American political cartooning in the nineteenth century. Through his work for Harper's Weekly , he popularized such American political symbols as the Republican elephant and the Democratic donkey.

Thomas Nast. The Crown Covers a Multitude of Shortcomings. Sir James (G.B.) “No one will miss it now, you know ,” 1888. Published in The Daily Graphic , September 27, 1888. Ink with scraping out over graphite underdrawing. Art Wood Collection of Cartoon and Caricature, Prints and Photographs Division , Library of Congress (1)

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“Is this what you mean?”

Herb Block created this anti-isolationist cartoon just before the United States entered World War II. Through this image, Block argued that Americans, by turning their backs on the world, permitted global occupation by forces from both the political left and right. This cartoon was most likely produced in 1939, when the Soviet Union, briefly allied with the Axis powers joined Germany in attacking and conquering Poland. Block (1909-2001) had a cartooning career that spanned seven decades. For more information about his career, see Enduring Outrage: Editorial Cartoons by Herblock , Herblock's Gift , and Herblock's History .

Herb Block. “ Is this what you mean? ” ca. 1939. Published by the Newspaper Enterprise Association. Ink, crayon, and opaque white over graphite underdrawing with overlay. Art Wood Collection of Cartoon and Caricature, Prints and Photographs Division , Library of Congress LC-DIG-ppmsca-07910 © Herb Block Foundation (2)

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To Avoid Hitting the Brick in the Road

Ding Darling

Jay N. “Ding” Darling (1876–1962) uses the metaphor of a careening taxi in this cartoon to critique delayed legislative controls on inflation of farm prices and wages during World War II. A cab, with passengers labeled “Farm Prices” and “Wages” being driven by a man labeled “Congress,” avoids a brick in the road by swerving into a crowd, hitting men, women and children on “Cost of Living Ave.,” and inflicting “Everybody's Injury.” Darling's sweeping brushwork and expansive, dynamic composition suits this scene of collision. A two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, he worked many years for the Des Moines Register and the New York Herald-Tribune .

Jay N. "Ding" Darling. To Avoid Hitting the Brick in the Road , 1942. Published in the Des Moines Register , September 29, 1942. Ink brush over graphite underdrawing. Art Wood Collection of Cartoon and Caricature, Prints and Photographs Division , Library of Congress LC-DIG-ppmsca-09121 (3). Courtesy of J.N. “Ding” Darling Foundation. © J. N. “Ding” Darling Foundation

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From Ever Darkening Clouds

Edmund Duffy

A giant skeletal arm reaches down from dark clouds labeled “Air War” to clutch the prone form of Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler in this World War II cartoon by Edmund Duffy (1899–1962). Not showing Hitler as brutally invincible, Duffy depicts the stricken tyrant peering upward, fearful of deadly air attacks. In the background, bombs fall from the turbulent sky and a building flying the swastika lies in ruins. Duffy employs his signature style of heavily outlined forms as a means of boldly and graphically sounding the death knell for Hitler.

Edmund Duffy. From Ever Darkening Clouds , ca. 1944. Published in the Baltimore Sun . Crayon, ink brush, and opaque white over graphite underdrawing. Art Wood Collection of Cartoon and Caricature, Prints and Photographs Division , Library of Congress LC-DIG-ppmsca-07517 (4)

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“It's from the I.R.S.”

Etta Hulme, one of the few female practitioners of the craft of editorial cartooning, twists the well known plot of men stranded on a desert island unearthing buried treasure, into an ironic reminder that income taxes are due. Etta Hulme earned her fine arts degree at the University of Texas at Austin and immediately headed for Disney Studios in California, where she worked in the animation division for two years before returning to Texas. She began her cartooning career in 1954 at Austin's Texas Observer and has been with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram since 1972.

Etta Hulme. “ It's from the I.R.S.—it says, 'all income, from whatever source derived . . . ,” 1975. Published in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram , April 10, 1975. Crayon, ink, and opaque white over blue pencil and graphite underdrawing. Art Wood Collection of Cartoon and Caricature, Prints and Photographs Division , Library of Congress LC-DIG-ppmsca-04613 (5). ©Etta Hulme, Fort Worth Star-Telegram , 1975

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World of Creepers

Art Young (1866–1943) published this drawing in Life magazine with the title “This World of Creepers; Afraid of Themselves and of Others, Afraid of the Almighty, of Life and of Death.” He later identified it as one of his best, describing the image as, “the crawling, cringing horde of human beings afraid to stand up and call their souls their own.” Young drew for a wide variety of publications that included the Saturday Evening Post as well as the socialist periodical The Masses . His left wing views were featured in the humor magazine Life , which, for a time, embraced support for socialism.

Art Young. World of Creepers , 1907. Published in Life , November 14, 1907. Ink wash and opaque white. Art Wood Collection of Cartoon and Caricature, Prints and Photographs Division , Library of Congress LC-DIG-ppmsca-04662 (6)

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Turkey Hunting in the Old Dominion

Clifford K. Berryman

In this cartoon, Teddy Roosevelt caresses rather than shoots these domesticated turkeys at his hunting lodge, Pine Knot, near Charlottesville, Virginia, while the Clifford Berryman's (1869–1949) trademark “teddy bear” presses his paw against the flap of his game bag. On November 1, 1906, Roosevelt's neighbors played a joke on him, turning a flock of domestic turkeys loose into the area, but the president discovered the trick. Although Roosevelt may not have killed domesticated turkeys, he did shoot a wild turkey that week at Pine Knot. Berryman was renowned for his lighthearted likenesses of politicians and for popularizing the teddy bear, which became an iconic toy for American children.

C.K. Berryman. Turkey Hunting in the Old Dominion , November 3, 1906. Published in the Washington Post , Saturday, November 3, 1906. Pen and ink over graphite underdrawing. Art Wood Collection of Cartoon and Caricature, Prints and Photographs Division , Library of Congress LC-DIG-ppmsca-07883 (7)

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The Mysterious Stranger

John T. McCutcheon

This best known cartoon by John T. McCutcheon (1870–1949), graced the front page of the Chicago Tribune on November 10, 1904, and gave a humorous, visual explanation of the presidential election results. Depicting telltale footprints leading from the Democratic to the Republican column of delegates, McCutcheon pictures Missouri's historic act of breaking ranks with the southern states for the first time since Reconstruction, voting Republican, and thus carrying the state for Theodore Roosevelt. A world famous traveler, war correspondent, and Pulitzer prize-winning editorial cartoonist, McCutcheon drew for the Chicago Tribune from 1903 to 1946.

John T. McCutcheon. The Mysterious Stranger , 1904. Published in the Chicago Tribune , November 10, 1904. Ink. Art Wood Collection of Cartoon and Caricature, Prints and Photographs Division , Library of Congress LC-DIG-ppmsca-07170 (8)

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“Ah'm makin' way fer Bobby K”

John Jensen

British cartoonist John Jensen (b. 1930) portrays a somber President Lyndon Johnson sitting in an undersized rocking chair. The artist vividly caricatures Johnson as a morose, demoralized leader, with a sunken mouth, deeply wrinkled face, and a tangle of elongated, misshapen arms and legs. The president's lapel button reads “Ah'm Makin' Way Fer Bobby K,” a reminder that his main rival, Robert Kennedy, brother of President John F. Kennedy, announced his candidacy for the presidency on March 16, 1968. Faced with this challenge and worsening news on the Vietnam War, Johnson informed the country on March 31, 1968, that he would not run for re-election.

John Jensen. “ Ah'm makin' way fer Bobby K ,” ca. 1968. Watercolor and ink brush over graphite underdrawing. Art Wood Collection of Cartoon and Caricature, Prints and Photographs Division , Library of Congress LC-DIG-ppmsca-07182 (9)

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“Barry's the Captain …”

John Fischetti

Cheerful members of the Republican Party look overboard as Republican presidential candidate Barry Goldwater mans the rudder of a boat in a shallow stream. Despite Goldwater's victory in the California primary, cartoonist John Fischetti (1916–1980) satirized the campaign as going nowhere. Nelson Rockefeller, a Republican moderate, issued a parting shot that if Goldwater were in the mainstream, “we've got a meandering stream.” Goldwater carried only six states in his race against President Lyndon Johnson. Fischetti's mature artistic style showed his roots in animation. His use of horizontal space and spare pen and ink style influenced a generation of cartoonists.

John Fischetti. “ Barry's the captain and if he says this is mainstream, that's good enough for me ,” 1964. Published in the New York Herald Tribune , 1964. India ink, tonal film overlay, and opaque white over graphite underdrawing with paste-ons. Art Wood Collection of Cartoon and Caricature, Prints and Photographs Division , Library of Congress LC-DIG-ppmsca-04607 (10). © Publishers Newspaper Syndicate, 1964

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Rubbing It In

Rube Goldberg

Rube Goldberg (1883–1970), best known for his crazy inventions, created forceful editorial cartoons while working at the New York Sun . This anti-Japanese World War II cartoon shows General Jonathan Wainwright slamming the face of a Japanese soldier into the Filipino province of Bataan. While Wainwright did not participate in the recapture of Bataan due to his incarceration in a labor camp in Formosa, Goldberg suggests that the moral victory over the Japanese would be his. Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Reuben Lucius “Rube” Goldberg used his intelligence, humor and gift as an artist in creating serious editorial cartoons.

Rube Goldberg. Rubbing It In , 1944. Published in the New York Sun , August 20, 1944. Crayon, India ink, opaque white, and graphite with scraping out. Art Wood Collection of Cartoon and Caricature, Prints and Photographs Division , Library of Congress LC-DIG-ppmsca-03646 (11)

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Fat Man with Telescope Standing on a Mound of Skulls

William Gropper

An overfed man wearing a formal black jacket and black silk hat stands atop a mound of human skulls pierced by protruding guns and bayonets in this editorial cartoon by William Gropper (1897–1977). With chilling disregard for the human remains beneath him, the man peers into the distance through a telescope. The ample figure with a grotesque profile represents a type of capitalist/politician. Like much of Gropper's work, this drawing underscores the horrifying human costs of war during World War I.

William Gropper. Fat man with telescope standing on a mound of skulls , between 1914 and 1918. Ink, crayon, and opaque white with spatter over blue pencil. Art Wood Collection of Cartoon and Caricature, Prints and Photographs Division , Library of Congress LC-DIG-ppmsca-03602 (12). © The Gropper Estate

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But How to Let Go—Gracefully

Vaughn Shoemaker

President Lyndon Johnson clings grimly to the tail of a giant tiger (labeled “Vietnam”), that lunges wildly through a nocturnal universe in this cartoon by Vaughn Shoemaker (1902–1991). This drawing of 1965 addresses how America would extricate itself from the war in Vietnam. U.S. troops did pull out in 1973. A two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, Shoemaker studied at the Chicago Academy for Fine Arts, drew editorial cartoons at the Chicago Daily News for nearly thirty years, and taught at his alma mater. His artful, gestural style became looser and more painterly in the 1960s.

Vaughn Shoemaker. But How to Let Go—Gracefully , 1965. Published in the Chicago American , 1965. Ink brush, crayon, and opaque white over graphite underdrawing with overlays and paste-ons. Art Wood Collection of Cartoon and Caricature, Prints and Photographs Division , Library of Congress LC-DIG-ppmsca-09125 (13)

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“You've been acting like civilians!”

Bill Mauldin

With easy crayon and ink brush strokes, Bill Mauldin (1921-2003) portrays an angry Nikita Khruschchev berating writers, artists and musicians, who stand at attention as if they were soldiers for the Communist Party propaganda machine. Khrushchev compelled creators to use Social Realism, a style that the Party argued was most accessible to the masses. Mauldin portrayed the hardline approach as militaristic and portrays himself as the artist with the pen, second from the right. The Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist began his career in the army and had a long career with the Saint Louis Post-Dispatch and the Chicago Sun-Times . For more information about his career and work, see Bill Mauldin: Beyond Willie and Joe .

Bill Mauldin. “ You've been acting like civilians! ” 1963. Published in the Chicago Sun-Times , April 17, 1963. Crayon, ink and opaque white with scratching out and paste-on over graphite underdrawing. Art Wood Collection of Cartoon and Caricature, Prints and Photographs Division , Library of Congress LC-DIG-ppmsca-07893 (14). © 1963 by Bill Mauldin. Courtesy of the Mauldin Estate

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“My disarmament plan is better than your disarmament plan!”

Paul Conrad

Paul Conrad (b. 1924) with his even crayon strokes and exceptional attention to detail, captures the anger and posturing as Cold War tensions mounted over the fate of East and West Germany and nuclear disarmament. On September 25, 1961, President John F. Kennedy in his speech to the United Nations Assembly stood up to the Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev and demanded that he join a “peace race.” Meanwhile, both nations had resumed nuclear testing, as Conrad points out, belying their advocacy for disarmament. The three-time Pulitzer Prize winner spent fourteen years at the Denver Post before becoming chief cartoonist for the Los Angeles Times in 1964. Today, he continues to draw cartoons and makes sculptures.

Paul Conrad. “ My disarmament plan is better than your disarmament plan! ” 1961. Published in the Denver Post , Sept. 27, 1961. Crayon and ink brush over graphite underdrawing. Art Wood Collection of Cartoon and Caricature, Prints and Photographs Division , Library of Congress LC-DIG-ppmsca-09425 (15). © used with permission, Paul Conrad, The Denver Post , 1961

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“I want to make it perfectly clear that national defense requires 18-cent oil”

President Richard M. Nixon gives a speech against a backdrop of oil derricks, pipes, and two smiling figures who are probably oil executives. Edmund Valtman (1914-2005) questioned Nixon's motives for rejecting oil import quotas under the guise of ensuring sufficient oil for defense. By depicting drops of liquid as oil money, dripping into a storage tank labeled “Political Contributions,” he strongly signaled the president's interest in bolstering financial support for Republicans in the upcoming Congressional elections. Conservative in outlook, Pulitzer prize winner Valtman proved that he spared no U.S. president, including Nixon, hard scrutiny in his work. For more information about his career and work, please see Edmund Valtman: The Cartoonist Who Came in from the Cold .

Ed Valtman. “ I want to make it perfectly clear that national defense requires 18-cent oil ,” 1970. Published in the Hartford Times , March 1, 1970. Ink and tonal film overlay over graphite underdrawing with paste-on. Art Wood Collection of Cartoon and Caricature, Prints and Photographs Division , Library of Congress LC-DIG-ppmsca-09112 (16). © Estate of Edmund S. Valtman, used with permission

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First Woman Astronaut

Food prices skyrocketed in the mid–1970s as presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford dealt with inflation. In 1974 alone food prices rose by almost 15 percent. Women, who did the most of the grocery shopping, boycotted such staples as meat and grains in protest. In this cartoon produced for television, Art Wood depicts an American housewife shot into outer space, by the shock over food costs. Wood labels her the “First Woman Astronaut,” (although the first American woman went into space in 1983). Wood served as president and spokesman of the American Association of Editorial Cartoonists in 1974.

Art Wood. First Woman Astronaut , 1974. Used on national television 1974. Ink and watercolor over graphite underdrawing. Art Wood Collection of Cartoon and Caricature, Prints and Photographs Division , Library of Congress LC-DIG-ppmsca-07879 (17). © Art Wood

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“Where do we go from here?”

In this Art Wood cartoon, the blazing sun beats down on a ramshackle farmhouse, tilting silo, and dying crops in a field of cracked, scorched earth. A sign on the buildings reads “Fifty Years of Federal Farm Programs.” This image strongly suggests that federal farm programs enacted since the beginning of the New Deal in the 1930s have failed, making the time honored institution of the American farm a major casualty. In the late 1980s, American farmers faced extremely harsh drought conditions, which precipitated unusually urgent appeals for federal aid.

Art Wood. “ Where do we go from here? ” 1983. Published in the Farm Bureau News , August 29, 1983. Porous point pen and opaque white over graphite underdrawing. Art Wood Collection of Cartoon and Caricature, Prints and Photographs Division , Library of Congress LC-DIG-ppmsca-09113 (18). © Art Wood

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Washington Money Machine

In this cartoon Art Wood captures the sentiments felt by many taxpayers. By the late 1950s, increases in local, state and federal taxes as well as social security meant that the average family spent more on those than they did on food. Paying for national defense during the Cold War accounted for much of the increase. A prize-winning political cartoonist, Wood worked at the Richmond News Leader before moving to Pittsburgh, where he was the chief editorial cartoonist for the Pittsburgh Press from 1956 to 1965.

Art Wood. Washington Money Machine , between 1956 and 1965. Published in the Pittsburgh Press . Crayon, ink brush and opaque white over graphite underdrawing. Art Wood Collection of Cartoon and Caricature, Prints and Photographs Division , Library of Congress LC-DIG-ppmsca-09426 (19). © Art Wood

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MIG Fighter

In February 1963, four Soviet-built MiG fighter planes based in Cuba, fired on an American shrimp boat in international waters. Though the boat was not hit, the incident heightened tensions between the U.S., Cuba, and the Soviet Union. President John F. Kennedy ordered retaliation in case of recurrence. Art Wood's depiction of Uncle Sam with painful injuries captured the nation's dismay. Wood drew this cartoon while chief editorial cartoonist at the Pittsburgh Press from 1956–1965.

Art Wood. MIG Fighter , 1963. Published in the Pittsburgh Press , February 24, 1963. Crayon, ink brush and opaque white over graphite underdrawing. Art Wood Collection of Cartoon and Caricature, Prints and Photographs Division , Library of Congress LC-DIG-ppmsca-09427 (20). © Art Wood

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In 1955 both Democrats and Republicans in Congress voted overwhelmingly in favor of a $10,000 pay raise—from $15,000 to $25,000—at a time when most Americans earned less than $3,900 a year. Art Wood implies that the dramatic pay raise not only contributed to the federal debt, but also brought Congressional leadership into question.

Art Wood. The Shadow , 1955. Published in the Richmond News Leader , 1955. Ink brush and opaque white over graphite underdrawing. Art Wood Collection of Cartoon and Caricature, Prints and Photographs Division , Library of Congress LC-DIG-ppmsca-09114 (21). © Art Wood

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Von der Goltz Pacha et le bec-de-gaz d'Erzeroem

Louis Raemaekers

During World War I, Freiherr Colmar Von de Goltz, known in Turkey as “Goltz Pasha,” ruthlessly pursued German aims against the British. However he and his Ottoman allies could not resist advancing Russian forces. Dutch cartoonist Louis Raemaekers (1869–1956) portrays the battle of Erzurum as a literal confrontation between Goltz and the Russian army. Raemaekers produced fiercely anti-German cartoons during World War I for De Talegraaf and faced trial for compromising Dutch neutrality. Although acquitted, the Germans put a bounty on his head, and he had to flee to England.

Louis Raemaekers. Von der Goltz Pacha et le bec-de-gaz d'Erzeroem , 1916. Translated as The Orient Express , and reprinted in Kultur in Cartoons . Charcoal, watercolor, and graphite. Art Wood Collection of Cartoon and Caricature, Prints and Photographs Division , Library of Congress LC-DIG-ppmsca-09428 (22)

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Waiting for Reagan

Pat Oliphant

Pat Oliphant (b. 1935) captures President Ronald Reagan's political plight in the summer of 1982 in this dramatic cartoon. The Moral Majority and other rightist groups publicly criticized Reagan for what they perceived as his neglect of social issues important to conservatives. Inspired by Thomas Nast's depiction of the infamous Boss Tweed and his Tammany Hall cronies as vultures, Oliphant pictures Reagan's critics, “The New Right,” as five menacing, vulture-like creatures, out on a limb. One of the great draftsmen in the field, Oliphant combines boldly rendered forms and dramatic perspective in this witty allusion to his artistic predecessor. For more information about his career and work, see Oliphant's Anthem .

Pat Oliphant. Waiting for Reagan , 1982. Published by Universal Press Syndicate August 11, 1982. Ink with opaque white out graphite underdrawing. Art Wood Collection of Cartoon and Caricature, Prints and Photographs Division , Library of Congress LC-DIG-ppmsca-10609 (23). Image reproduced courtesy of Patrick Oliphant and Susan Conway

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Vandal in Victory, Vandal in Defeat

Rollin Kirby

Three-time Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Rollin Kirby (1875–1952) drew a World War I German soldier looting and pillaging a European village. The war left communities such as Amiens, Verdun, and Lille devastated by occupation, the relative stagnation of trench warfare along the front, and powerful weapons on both sides. Kirby wrote, “what art there is in cartooning is the art of driving the message home,” a skill at which he excelled. Kirby, one of the top editorial cartoonists after World War I, worked for both the New York World and the New York Post . His strong use of crayon influenced a generation of cartoonists.

Rollin Kirby. Vandal in Victory, Vandal in Defeat , ca. 1918. Drawn for the New York World . Crayon and opaque white over graphite underdrawing. Art Wood Collection of Cartoon and Caricature, Prints and Photographs Division , Library of Congress LC-DIG-ppmsca-06575 (100)

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“I can't stand any more of this, I think I'll go out and face the unions”

Raymond Allen Jackson

British cartoonist JAK (Raymond Allen Jackson, 1927–1997) shows Roy Jenkins, Chancellor of the Exchequer, making a speech to the House of Commons in 1969. Members of the House respond grimly to disclosure of tough budgetary measures including higher taxes and governmental measures to curb unions' wildcat strikes. On the ministers' bench, Labour Party Prime Minister Harold Wilson tells Foreign Secretary Michael Stewart he cannot stand any more and may leave to face the unions. Among England's leading political cartoonists, JAK reportedly became the most highly paid while under contract with the London Evening Standard.

Raymond Allen Jackson. “ I can't stand any more of this, I think I'll go out and face the unions ,” 1969. Published in the London Evening Standard , April 15, 1969. Ink brush, crayon, opaque white, and watercolor wash over graphite underdrawing. Art Wood Collection of Cartoon and Caricature, Prints and Photographs Division , Library of Congress LC-DIG-ppmsca-03297 (101)

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Analyzing the Stylistic Choices of Political Cartoonists

• Resources & Preparation
• Instructional Plan
• Related Resources

Students learn terminology that describes comics and political (or editorial) cartoons and discuss how the cartoonists' choices influence the messages that they communicate. Students first identify and define the various parts of a cartoon, including layout and design, angles, and text terms. After discussing several cartoons as a full class, each student analyzes the techniques that the same cartoonist uses in five or more cartoons. Students compare the techniques in the group of cartoons and draw conclusions about why the cartoonist chose the specific techniques to communicate their messages. This lesson points to contemporary political cartoons but can also be completed with historical political cartoons.

From Theory to Practice

Students are surrounded by texts, print and nonprint, that take advantage of the increasing options for combining words, images, sounds, and other media to create a publication. As these options increase, the capabilities that students must develop to be knowledgeable members of their literacy communities also increase. As the 1975 NCTE Resolution on Promoting Media Literacy states, "new critical abilities ‘in reading, listening, viewing, and thinking'...enable students to deal constructively with complex new modes of delivering information, new multisensory tactics for persuasion, and new technology-based art forms." Political cartoons provide an opportunity to explore these critical abilities in the classroom. By asking students to explore the ways that cartoons combine words and images to communicate their messages, this lesson plan asks students to develop and hone the multimodal literacy skills that ultimately help them participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities. Further Reading

Common Core Standards

This resource has been aligned to the Common Core State Standards for states in which they have been adopted. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, CCSS alignments are forthcoming.

State Standards

This lesson has been aligned to standards in the following states. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, standard alignments are not currently available for that state.

NCTE/IRA National Standards for the English Language Arts

• 1. Students read a wide range of print and nonprint texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.
• 3. Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).
• 6. Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and nonprint texts.
• 11. Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities.
• 12. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).

Materials and Technology

• Political cartoons for demonstration
• Five or more political cartoons by a single cartoonist
• Political Cartoon Analysis Sheet
• Political Cartoon Analysis Assignment
• Political Cartoon Comparison Sheet
• Political Cartoon Analysis Rubric
• Political Cartoon Analysis Peer Review
• Comic Vocabulary Definitions and Examples: Text Containers
• Comic Vocabulary Definitions and Examples: Layout & Design
• Comic Vocabulary Definitions and Examples: Angles

Preparation

• You will need several cartoons for the full class to analyze.
• Students will need five to ten cartoons by a single editorial cartoonist. The cartoons do not need to be consecutive, simply by the same cartoonist.
• Students may all work on the same group of cartoons, or you may allow students to choose their own cartoons.
• You may want to choose the cartoons yourself to ensure that the pieces are all appropriate for the classroom.
• Your students can search for cartoons in newspapers archived in the library or search online at Daryl Cagle's Pro Cartoonists Index , Newseum , Herblock's History , and The Political Dr. Seuss .
• If students will search library archives for the cartoons, arrange for Session Two to take place in the library. If students will search for cartoons on the Internet, arrange for computer lab access and ensure that any site filters will not block the political cartoons students will need for their work.
• Decide the amount of detail to discuss in your exploration of comic book style. You may choose to include Text , Layout and Design , and Angles ; or you may limit your discussion with the class to one or two of the areas. The handouts duplicate the information available in the Comic Vocabulary Interactive . Use the option which is best for your class.
• If necessary, adapt the Political Cartoon Analysis Assignment to fit your class and available resources.
• Make copies of the Political Cartoon Analysis Assignment , Political Cartoon Analysis Sheet , Political Cartoon Comparison Sheet , Political Cartoon Analysis Peer Review , and Political Cartoon Analysis Rubric . If photocopying is possible, make a copy of the Political Cartoon Analysis Sheet for each cartoon that each student will analyze. Otherwise, students can reproduce the chart on notebook paper or in their journals. Make an overhead transparency of the chart and display it for students to copy.
• Test the Comic Vocabulary Interactive and Analyzing a Political Cartoon: "Settin' on a Rail" on your computers to familiarize yourself with the tools and ensure that you have the Flash plug-in installed. You can download the plug-in from the technical support page.

Student Objectives

Students will:

• explore basic information about political cartoonists' techniques.
• analyze a cartoonists' techniques.
• write guidelines that explain how to analyze a cartoonists' work.
• participate in peer review of one another's guidelines.
• revise and polish drafts of their work.

Session One

• Display a political cartoon that you have chosen as a class example using an overhead projector or pass out copies of the cartoon. Alternatively, use the Analyzing a Political Cartoon: "Settin' on a Rail" to explore an historical political cartoon with the class.
• Ask students to respond to the cartoon, noting anything that stands out and any questions that they have.
• Explain that the class will be exploring political cartoons in more detail.
• Use the Comic Vocabulary Interactive to identify the parts of cartoons, or allow students to explore the interactive independently. If computers are not available, use the Comic Vocabulary Definitions sheets on Text , Layout and Design , and Angles .
• Begin with the Text Vocabulary , and have students apply the vocabulary from the interactive or definition sheets to the political cartoon that the class has been exploring. Ask students to expand the list as necessary to include any additional ways that the cartoonist has used text in the example cartoon.
• Move to the Layout and Design terms and the Angles terms, and encourage students to consider why the cartoonists have used the techniques that they have and how the different elements work together to communicate a message.
• To give students additional practice, arrange the class in small groups and give each group one or more additional political cartoons.
• To organize students’ analysis, pass out the Political Cartoon Analysis Sheet , and have groups take notes on the different characteristics of the cartoon(s) they are analyzing. Encourage groups to discuss why the cartoonists have used the techniques that they have in the cartoons that they are analyzing.
• Once groups have completed their analysis, gather the class and have each group present their observations to the class.
• If desired, have students read Cartoon Analysis Guide for additional background information.

Session Two

• Briefly review the comic terms from the previous class and, if students read the piece, discuss Cartoon Analysis Guide and how the information applies to the political cartoons analyzed in the previous session.
• Pass out and explain the Political Cartoon Analysis Assignment that students will complete independently and the Political Cartoon Analysis Rubric , which outlines the expectations for the project.

If students will be working with cartoons from printed newspapers If students will be working with cartoons from online cartoon archives Explain what newspapers students can use and where the newspapers can be accessed. Explain what online sites and cartoonists students can use. Discuss how students can make copies of the cartoons that they will be studying (e.g., photocopies, scanning). Demonstrate how to save a copy of the image files or take a screen shot of the images. Emphasize the importance of backup copies, as well as copies to trim and use as illustrations for the guidelines. If students are working with scanned copies, talk about the save-as command (see right column). Emphasize the importance of backup file copies and paper copies of the images and how to use the Save-As command to ensure that students do not overwrite the original image files when creating illustrations.

• Discuss copyright and documentation issues, going over the importance of including complete citations for all cartoons that are used in the’ analysis guidelines that students write.
• Point to the details on documenting cartoons in your class textbook, or use the details and examples from Comic Art in Scholarly Writing: A Citation Guide .
• If there are any guidelines that students should use while searching for their cartoons (e.g., topics that are inappropriate for the classroom), discuss these issues and explain what students should do if they happen upon such materials accidentally.
• Pass out additional copies of the Political Cartoon Analysis Assignment and copies of the Political Cartoon Comparison Sheet for students to use as they analyze the work of the cartoonists that they have chosen.
• Give students the remainder of the class session to find and begin analyzing cartoons.
• Draw the class together with approximately five minutes remaining, and invite students to share any observations they have made so far. If students are hesitant to share, ask some leading questions about the techniques that political cartoonists use. For instance, “which design and layout techniques seem most relevant to the cartoons that you have found?”---because most political cartoons today are only one panel, gutter and splash panels are irrelevant. However students can still look for use of borders and open panels in these works.

Session Three

• Review the Political Cartoon Analysis Assignment and Rubric . Answer any questions that students have about the project.
• Allow students to work independently on their analysis during the session.
• Provide mini-lessons as needed on analytical (e.g., how to determine the difference between close-up and extreme close-up) and/or technical topics (e.g., how to insert an image file in a Microsoft Word file).
• Ask students to have a complete draft of their guidelines and copies of their political cartoons for peer review during the next class session. Students can continue work on their guidelines for homework if necessary.

Session Four

• Explain that since the class will be doing peer review of one another’s guidelines, students will exchange one cartoon and the guidelines. Each student will read the guidelines and consider how well those details help them analyze the cartoon. After this process, students will complete the questions on the Political Cartoon Analysis Peer Review . This process may be slightly different from the typical peer review that the class completes, so ensure that students understand the process before students exchange their work.
• Organize the exchange of cartoons and guidelines, and ask students to use the guidelines to analyze the cartoon. If desired, students can take notes on their analysis to return to the author of the guidelines as well.
• As students complete their reading and analysis, give them copies of the Political Cartoon Analysis Peer Review . Students can complete this process at their own pace, picking up the peer review form once their analysis is complete.
• Circulate through the classroom as students work, providing support and feedback.
• As students complete their peer review sheets, have them return the guidelines to the author. Students can work on their own revisions until the entire class has completed the peer review process.
• Once the class has completed peer review, draw attention to the relationship between the questions on the Peer Review form and the Rubric . Point to the underlined words on questions 2 through 5 and their connection to the headings on the Rubric .
• Answer any questions that students have about revising their guidelines, and allow students to work on their revisions during any remaining class time.
• Ask students to have polished copies of their guidelines and the cartoons ready to submit at the beginning of the next session.
• If desired, ask students to choose at least one cartoon to discuss and share with other in class.

Session Five (optional)

• Arrange students in small groups.
• Ask each student to share at least one cartoon and describe the techniques that the cartoonist uses.
• Circulate among students as they work, providing support and feedback.
• Ask each group to choose one cartoon to share with the whole class.
• Gather students together and ask each group to present their choice.
• Encourage students to compare the techniques that the different cartoonists use.
• If time allows, students can complete a final proofreading of their guidelines, or have students exchange papers and proofread each other’s work. Ask students to make any corrections.
• Collect the guidelines and related cartoons.
• Rather than focusing on political cartoons, complete a similar exploration and analysis of graphic novels or comic strips.
• For an in-depth study of a particular political cartoon and its historical and geographical context, complete the ReadWriteThink lesson plan Analyzing the Purpose and Meaning of Political Cartoons or the ArtsEdge lesson plan Drawing Political Cartoons .

Student Assessment / Reflections

Review the work that students complete during this lesson on an on-going basis for the thoroughness and completeness. While students are working on these projects, talk to the students and observe their work and the connections they make to the political cartoons. Grade polished drafts with the Political Cartoon Analysis Rubric .

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Election Day is held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November.

This resolution discusses that understanding the new media and using them constructively and creatively actually requires developing a new form of literacy and new critical abilities "in reading, listening, viewing, and thinking."

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• Kindergarten K

Political Cartoons: Then and Now

Students will analyze and share the history of a political cartoon and then create their own cartoon about a current event..

Apps: Wixie ® , Pixie ® , or Share ™

For over 250 years, political cartoons have used humor and exaggeration to reach people on a variety of topics, even if they can't read. Learn how to use this powerful communication tool as you explore a political cartoon from the past, share the history of its conception, and use what you have learned to create your own cartoon based on a current event.

Students have most likely seen a political cartoon, though they may confuse political cartoons with a single-panel illustration designed simply for humor. More than just a funny drawing, a political cartoon is a pointed commentary on a current event or the actions of a person or group in politics.

Show students Ben Franklin's “ Join or Die ” cartoon, but don't explain its meaning or origin.

Ask them if they have seen this image before. What do they think it might mean? Bring up Ben Franklin or the early American Colonies and see if that helps them recognize that the initials in the image represent colonies.

Franklin's “Join or Die” is generally acknowledged as the first political cartoon in America, published first on May 9, 1754 in Franklin's Pennsylvania Gazette. Franklin drew this image to generate support at the Albany Congress for his idea of an intercolonial association to respond to the threat of the Iroquois. “Join or Die,&rdquo and this image of the snake, quickly became symbolic of the cause of colonial unification.

Select a current political cartoon that reflects a recent topic or event your students are familiar with. You may also want to ask students to locate a political cartoon in a local paper or using an online source as a homework assignment. Project or distribute the cartoon so all students can view it. What historical moment does the comic depict? Ask students to share additional information they know or research about the topic or event.

What visual elements are present in the cartoon? Discuss what students can see and read in the cartoon. Explore how the cartoon uses caricature to enhance the meaning.

Provide students with analytical tools and questions they can use to decode and understand other political cartoons. The Library of Congress has a great cartoon analysis guide that discusses how political cartoonists use symbolism, exaggeration, labeling, analogy, and irony to communicate their point of view and message.

Have each student choose a time in history that interests them. Task them with the job of searching the web or exploring sites like Cartoons for the Classroom and About.com's Political Humor to find a specific cartoon they want to examine and analyze. If you are concerned about students' ability to analyze on their own, or if you want to provide additional support to students, have them work in small teams to choose and analyze a cartoon.

Distribute the National Archives Cartoon Analysis Guide to each student to help direct their analysis.

Have students use the information from the completed worksheet to create a 1-3 paragraph analysis of their political cartoon that could be used to help other students make sense of the illustration and the subject it depicts.

Have students launch Share and open the Cartoon Scrapbook template (Project>New>Templates>Social Studies). Students can click and drag the cartoon onto the image placeholder to add to the page. Once the image is added, they can use the resize handles to adjust its appearance. They can type or copy and paste their written analysis into the text box. You can also search for “political cartoon” in Wixie and assign this activity to your students.

The template also provides a page for students to draw their own political cartoon. You may choose to have them create another political cartoon depicting the same time period or select a current event or person as the subject for their satirical illustration. Students can use the clip art and drawing tools to make their caricatures and scene or import an image they illustrate on paper.

Students can use the text box below the image to summarize their work or to create a caption that supports the illustration.

You could also use political cartoons to explore a single historical period in greater depth. Instead of having individual students create their own scrapbooks, locate and assign a selection of political cartoons and have students work individually or in small teams to complete an analysis. Have students compile their work on the “example” page of the Share template and then click the Share button on the toolbar to combine everyone's work into a single class book!

Give each student or team an opportunity to present their analysis to the entire class or to small groups of students. You can also export student work as as ePubs you can share as a resource for other students. Click the Project button, Export as an ePub, and upload the files to your iBooks or Google Drive for distribution. If you don't use eReaders, you can instead export students' work as PDF files for easy sharing.

You can assess student's prior knowledge and analytical skills as you begin discussing Franklin's “Join or Die” cartoon. You can continue to evaluate their ability as you ask questions during their analysis of a current event and examine their individual exploration using the Cartoon Analysis worksheet from the National Archives.

Be sure to ask clarifying questions to ensure that students understand how author's/illustrator's use symbolism, exaggeration, analogy, and/or irony. You may find it necessary to revisit these terms, their definitions, and their applications.

During students' presentations of the completed analyses, ask the class to serve as evaluators of success. After a few students have shared, talk as a class about what makes a great cartoon and what constitutes an effective analysis.

Stephen Hess and Sandy Northrup. American Political Cartoons: The Evolution of a National Identity, 1754-2010 ISBN: 1412811198

THE CARTOON: By Herb Block

Political Cartoon Collection: About.com

The National Archives Cartoon Analysis Guide

Library of Congress: Political Cartoons in U.S. History

Library of Congress: It's No Laughing Matter

Cartoons for the Classroom: The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists

Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts Grades 6-8

Key Ideas and Details

2. Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.

Craft and Structure

6. Identify aspects of a text that reveal an author's point of view or purpose (e.g., loaded language, inclusion or avoidance of particular facts).

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

7. Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print and digital texts.

8. Distinguish among fact, opinion, and reasoned judgment in a text.

ISTE NETS for Students 2016:

6. Creative Communicator Students communicate clearly and express themselves creatively for a variety of purposes using the platforms, tools, styles, formats and digital media appropriate to their goals. Students:

a. choose the appropriate platforms and tools for meeting the desired objectives of their creation or communication.

b. create original works or responsibly repurpose or remix digital resources into new creations.

c. communicate complex ideas clearly and effectively by creating or using a variety of digital objects such as visualizations, models or simulations.

d. publish or present content that customizes the message and medium for their intended audiences.

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• Drawing Cartoons

How to Make a Political Cartoon

Last Updated: July 3, 2024 References

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 67 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 409,839 times. Learn more...

Expressing your political views through a political comic can be a humorous and effective way to convey your message. Through the use of certain artistic techniques and elements, you can present your political issue in a light that is in line with the content of your political subject matter. Learning what you might want to include and how to assemble it can help you create a great political comic and clearly express your views.

Planning The Comic

• Political cartoons aim to illustrate a certain issue and represent a viewpoint regarding it.
• Political cartoons generally make use of simple artwork to get their point across quickly and cleanly.
• Most political cartoons aim to illustrate perceived problems or defend political positions.

• Consider the issue you want to cover in your cartoon.
• Think of what you want to say about the issue.
• Imagine how you might represent the issue in your cartoon.

• Elephants and donkeys are good examples of commonly used symbols to represent political parties in the United States of America.
• Eagles are used to represent the United States of America itself.

• Exaggerating a person's features can help make them more recognizable.
• You can use exaggeration to make someone appear in a certain light, depending on the message you want to send.
• Generally, caricatures are used to make fun of someone or their message.

• Using labels can be a good technique to make the message of the comic clear.
• Although labels are acceptable in political cartoons, try not to overuse them.
• Label only important aspects of your comic.

• Think in terms of “like”.
• For example, international disputes about borders could be like children arguing on a playground about who owns the slide.

Creating The Comic

• Think about how best to use your space.
• Ask yourself what elements are most important. Give them the most space and attention in your layout.
• You might find that some original ideas don't fit or are cluttering the comics' intended message. Consider removing these extraneous elements.

• Start outlining with a pencil, allowing you to make changes later on.
• Once you are happy with how the sketch looks begin to clean up your lines.
• Clean your lines by either making them bold or by erasing any rough areas and drawing them smoothly.
• It's okay to make some last minute changes and add some finishing touches.
• If you are happy with how your comic looks you can finalize your lines using black ink.

• Speech bubbles are generally smooth and oval shaped, with a triangular extension that points towards the person speaking.
• You may also want to use thought bubbles. Thought bubbles are like speech bubbles but appear as small clouds, holding your characters inner dialogue within them.

• Colors can carry meaning. For example, the Democratic party of the United States uses blue.
• You can use any coloring tools you feel comfortable with including colored pencils, ink, or even crayons.
• You may also consider scanning your black and white image into a computer and digitally coloring it.

• There are many programs that allow you to create a comic using digital art, much like you would with a pen and paper.
• Some services come with art preloaded, allowing you to use this art in your own layout by simply dragging and dropping figures and elements where you want them.

Sharing Your Comic

• Ask your friends and family for their honest opinions about the comic.
• Any discussions that result can be used for ideas when creating future comics.
• Ask your friends and family if they feel the "message" of your comic is clear.
• Discuss what they like about the comic or what changes they might have to suggest.

• Some social media sites cater to artwork or comics.
• Social media allows you to share your comic with a wide audience.
• On-line communities can offer helpful feedback, allowing you to improve your comics.

• Submit your comics to publishers or publishing syndicates.
• There are many independent publishers that also accept comic submissions.
• Check with local or smaller publications to increase your chances of getting published.
• Self-publishing a collection of your comics might be an option for you.

Community Q&A

• Make a rough layout of the overall comic. Thanks Helpful 5 Not Helpful 0
• Digital software can be a quick and easy way to create your comic. Thanks Helpful 5 Not Helpful 0
• Think about the methods you want to use to deliver the message, including symbolism or analogy. Thanks Helpful 5 Not Helpful 1

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• ↑ http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/09/17/drawing-for-change-analyzing-and-making-political-cartoons/?_r=0
• ↑ http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/nchist-eg/6460
• ↑ http://gomedia.com/zine/tutorials/some-like-it-dirty-comic-book-inking-and-coloring-tutorial/
• ↑ http://www.hoodedutilitarian.com/2014/01/how-do-comics-artists-use-speech-balloons-s/
• ↑ http://www.comicsreporter.com/index.php/all_about_comics/all_about/76/

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I can’t imagine teaching civics and government without political cartoons—they are  essential  to the subject. 

They make the best entry point for introducing concepts and diving deeper into diverse viewpoints on political issues. 

Head over to my blog post,  How to Teach Political Cartoons , where I detail the POPES process I’ve used for years. Then, download your  FREE lesson kit  to get started.

This analysis strategy works well for bell ringers to cover current political news and as part of the main lesson to teach civics concepts. 

Certain topics, I’ve found over the years, are perfect for using cartoons to teach. So here I’ve outlined some activity ideas for using them to help you teach five key government concepts.

Finding Great Political Cartoons

First, though, we need to find some good cartoons! 

I don’t link to any specific cartoons in this blog post simply because the second I do, they’re dated! 

Usually, only a few cartoons are perennial enough to use the following year, and I’m constantly swapping in fresh ones my students can best relate to. You’ll want to do this as well.

Here are my go-to spots for grabbing high-resolution current and historical political cartoons:

Daryl Cagle’s  searchable database of current cartoons

The Week’s  and   US News’s  collections of recent cartoons

Library of Congress’s collection of over  800 cartoons from throughout American history    and their dedicated  Herbert Block collection  that spans much of the late 1900s

Wikimedia Commons’ collection of  Puck  and  Judge  magazine covers from the late 1800s and early 1900s

Teaching How to Analyze Cartoons

As I said above, I use the POPES method I’ve developed over the years. Before using cartoons to teach content, students need to have the skills to understand them. 

Be sure to spend time teaching how to analyze political cartoons before your first lesson that uses them! My  FREE Political Cartoon Analysis Kit  is a complete how-to lesson that does this for you.

Okay, now that’s all taken care of, let’s dive into civics concepts that are perfect for using political cartoons to teach. I’ve never found a shortage of cartoons to help students learn and develop claims on these five topics.

Principles of the Constitution

After introducing the  different principles of the US Constitution ,  I have my students identify them in political cartoons depicting events that relate to each. 

For example, I’ll pick a cartoon of the President and Congress at odds over a recent veto to illustrate checks and balances. Or a cartoon dealing with Election Day for popular sovereignty. 

You can search using the principles themselves, but you don’t want the cartoon actually to  say  the principle. That’s why I also search for recent events that have involved the concept. 

I’ll post these cartoons around the room as stations. Students first analyze them and then identify which principle each best depicts. 

Different Forms of Governments

I do an almost identical lesson sequence when we learn the  different types of government systems .

Here, it’s helpful to use countries I’ve already given as examples of the various types when I first defined them. 

For example, a cartoon of the UK’s King Charles trying to fill the shoes of his mother to illustrate  monarchy . 

I like how the  Cagle database  includes international cartoonists, to which you can limit your search.  

Find cartoons depicting each system of government that your students need to learn and make matching cards for formative practice. 

Voting Issues & Attitudes

During my  Voting & Election Unit , I search terms like “voting” or “Election Day” or, even more specifically, for issues like “voter turnout” or “vote by mail.”

You should have no problem finding a variety of cartoons that illustrate attitudes about the upcoming election and voting rights and access. 

Use cartoons from across the nation to introduce voting issues affecting different states. This helps emphasize how, while voting is a federal right, how we vote is handled at the state level. 

If your state is vote-by-mail only, share cartoons depicting long voter lines, for example. 

You can also have students agree or disagree with the cartoons’ punchline, providing evidence from what they’ve learned to support their position. 

For example, select cartoons that argue things like voter apathy among young people or that voting is unnecessarily complicated.

Three Branches

While covering each of the  Three Branches , it’s a no-brainer to use cartoons to familiarize students with current issues with each branch. 

Pull a few cartoons that depict both hyper-current and more perennial issues, like gridlock in Congress, the President struggling with sagging popularity, or the Supreme Court announcing a controversial decision. 

As important as it is to teach the Constitutional logistics of each branch, it is to teach the issues of how those branches operate in real life, and cartoons are perfect for this!

During this unit, cartoons like these make perfect bell ringer activities.

Amendments & Civil Liberties 

In my  Civil Liberties unit , I use cartoons in a few ways. First, historical cartoons are a great way to illustrate that so many essential rights have not always been granted. 

Cartoons pushing for or celebrating the ratification of various amendments make excellent source material: the 17 th Amendment to popularly elect senators, the 19 th  Amendment to grant women the right to vote, and the 26 th Amendment to lower the voting age to 18. 

These make an easy matching activity for students to pair to the amendment they are dealing with. 

Or, as you are exploring the Supreme Court’s current docket, pull some cartoons that deal with these court cases. They help show the dilemma and controversy of rights involved. 

I hope these ideas have sparked activity ideas for using political cartoons to support learning in your Civics or Government class. Grab my  FREE   Political Cartoons Analysis Kit for a done-for-you starter kit to get going with teaching with cartoons!

Feature image photo credit: Bank Phrom

Make the Citizenship Test the Best Part of Your Civics Class

5 ways to use political cartoons in your civics class.

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• English & Literature
• Grades 9-12
• Comics & Animation

Drawing Political Cartoons How do political cartoons convey messages about current events?

In this 9-12 lesson, students will analyze cartoon drawings to create an original political cartoon based on current events. Students will apply both factual knowledge and interpretive skills to determine the values, conflicts, and important issues reflected in political cartoons.

Get Printable Version   Copy to Google Drive

Lesson Content

• Preparation
• Instruction

Learning Objectives  

Students will: 

• Analyze visual and language clues to determine the meaning of contemporary and historical political cartoons.
• Research and gather information to plan a visual story. 
• Create a political cartoon based on a current event.

Standards Alignment

National Core Arts Standards National Core Arts Standards

VA:Cr1.2.Ia Shape an artistic investigation of an aspect of present-day life using a contemporary practice of art or design.

VA:Cr3.1.Ia Apply relevant criteria from traditional and contemporary cultural contexts to examine, reflect on, and plan revisions for works of art and design in progress.

VA:Re.7.1.Ia Hypothesize ways in which art influences perception and understanding of human experiences.

VA:Re.7.2.Ia Analyze how one’s understanding of the world is affected by experiencing visual imagery.

VA:Cn11.1.Ia Describe how knowledge of culture, traditions, and history may influence personal responses to art.

MA:Re7.1.Ia Analyze the qualities of and relationships between the components, style, and preferences communicated by media artworks and artists.

MA:Re7.1.Ib Analyze how a variety of media artworks manage audience experience and create intention through multimodal perception.

MA:Cn11.1.Ia Demonstrate and explain how media artworks and ideas relate to various contexts, purposes, and values, such as social trends, power, equality, and personal/cultural identity.

Common Core State Standards Common Core State Standards

ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.

ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.8 Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the usefulness of each source in answering the research question; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.

ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.

ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.8 Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the strengths and limitations of each source in terms of the task, purpose, and audience; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and overreliance on any one source and following a standard format for citation.

Recommended Student Materials

Editable Documents: Before sharing these resources with students, you must first save them to your Google account by opening them, and selecting “Make a copy” from the File menu. Check out Sharing Tips or Instructional Benefits when implementing Google Docs and Google Slides with students.

• Rubric: Drawing Political Cartoons
• Vocabulary: Drawing Political Cartoons
• Political Cartoon Analysis
• PBS News Hour
• The Cartoon
• Daryl Cagle's Political Cartoon Trends
• The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists
• The Week Cartoons
• Politico Cartoons

Teacher Background

Teachers share articles or a list of media resources that are appropriate for their class in order to read current events. Teachers will need to find a variety of political cartoons, preferably displaying opposing sides of an issue. Carefully review each cartoon prior to sharing them with students. Optional articles to discuss include: How Women Broke Into the Male-Dominated World of Cartoons and Illustrations , What is a Cartoonist? , and Cartoonists - left, right, and center - have their say on Texas freeze and power outage .

Student Prerequisites  

Students should have familiarity with current events and strategies for analyzing and interpreting events.

Accessibility Notes

Modify handouts, text, and utilize assistive technologies as needed. Allow extra time for task completion.

• Display a variety of cartoons about a current event that the students are familiar with as an introduction. Be sure that the cartoons represent opposing positions about the same topic. Explain to the students that political cartoons are biased because they represent the artist’s point of view, as does an editorial. They are intended to be controversial and characterized in nature. Their meaning is conveyed by both visual and verbal clues.
• Read the following quote to the class: “A cartoonist is a writer and artist, philosopher, and punster, cynic and community conscience. He seldom tells a joke and often tells the truth, which is funnier. In addition, the cartoonist is more than an asocial critic who tries to amuse, infuriate, or educate. He is also, unconsciously, a reporter and historian. Cartoons of the past leave records of their times that reveal how people lived, what they thought, how they dressed and acted, what their amusements and prejudices were, and what the issues of the day were.” (Ruff and Nelson, p. 75.)
• Tell students that they are going to analyze political cartoons and create one of their own based on a current event. Have students create a variety of political cartoons displaying contrasting viewpoints. Share the following websites with students: Daryl Cagel's Political Cartoon Trends , The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists , The Week Cartoons , GoComics , and Politico Cartoons . 
• Distribute and review the resource, Vocabulary: Drawing Political Cartoons . Discuss with students some of the elements present in the cartoons: caption, caricature, symbolism, the proportional size of objects and people, and personification . Help students identify the personalities in the cartoons you have displayed and ask them what issue or event they think the cartoon is about. Ask the students what details they used to make an inference.
• Divide students into small groups. Distribute a political cartoon to each group and ask them to identify the elements and context of the cartoon. Students can utilize the following, Read, Write, Think resource to assist with the research and planning of their drawing: Political Cartoon Analysis . Teachers should encourage the class to brainstorm ideas to evoke different responses. Divergent answers should be accepted. Interpretation must be open-ended.
• Have each group summarize their political cartoon analysis. The rest of the class should have an opportunity to weigh in about whether or not they agree with the group’s analysis of the cartoon.
• Introduce print and web new resources with students to identify political topics. PBS News Hour , Newsela , NPR are examples of media organizations that share current events. 
• Have students create their own political cartoon depicting their opinion about a current issue. Review the Criteria for Success: Political Cartoons resource with students and discuss examples of each criterion. Allow time for students to create their political cartoon.  
• Have students share their political cartoon with the class, briefly describing the issue involved and key elements used during the cartoon-making process.
• Assess the students’ knowledge of drawing political cartoons with the Rubric: Drawing Political Cartoons .
• Have students read The Cartoon by Herb Block , one cartoonist’s take on the role played by political cartoons. Ask students: Why would Lucy, the character from Peanuts, have made a good cartoonist according to Block? What does Block mean when he says that the political cartoon is a means for “puncturing pomposity?” How do political cartoonists help “the good guys?” How do political cartoonists’ relationships with their newspapers differ? What does Block say about the “fairness” of political cartoons? What different opinions about this are held?
• Analyze the differences between cartoons and comics. Have students explore contemporary webcomics: Huda Fahmy , Alec With Pen , Aditi Mali , Brown Paperbag Comics , and Christine Rai . 

Original Writer

Daniella Garran

Diane Dotson

JoDee Scissors

July 22, 2021

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Using Political Cartoons in the Classroom

by Roy Winkelman | Using Digital Content

I had some wonderful high school teachers who made history come alive. In addition to learning the facts, dates, and figures, we got a feel for the times we were studying by activities such as reading Civil War poetry or singing our way through a couple of World Wars. We were also exposed to innumerable political cartoons along the way to increase our understanding of the culture and issues of the day. The drawing of original cartoons was sometimes used as a comprehension check as well. I particularly remember one I drew about colonial Philadelphia as a homework assignment. That was, ahem, well over 50 years ago. While I can’t guarantee that using political cartoons in history classes will make all your homework assignments memorable a half century from now, I can promise that political cartoons have the potential to engage students with the significant issues of any period.

It doesn’t take much imagination to realize how any of the following examples could be effectively used in the classroom.

“But wherever would we find such an exciting collection of political cartoons?” you might ask. Well, you’re in luck. The ClipArt ETC website offers over 300 political cartoons for classroom use. Although you may have to do a little searching to find specific topics, many of the cartoons have been tagged with specific time periods or topics:

• All political cartoons
• Cartoons by Thomas Nast
• Election of 1868
• Grant Administration
• Election of 1872
• Election of 1876
• Election of 1880
• Election of 1884
• Cleveland Administration
• Election of 1892
• Native American Suffrage
• Woman Sufffrage
• World War I

Since FCIT’s political cartoon collection is mainly from the late 1800s, you may also want to search the National Archives or the Library of Congress for additional cartoons from earlier or later periods. The following LOC collections are of particular interest:

• American Cartoon Prints
• Cartoon Drawings
• Herblock Collection

The National Archives and the Library of Congress have also created helpful guides for analyzing cartoons as a classroom activity:

Teacher's Guide: Analyzing Political Cartoons

This one-page PDF from the Library of Congress includes many questions for students to consider when responding to a political cartoon.

Analyze a Cartoon (Younger Students)

This one-page PDF from the National Archives takes younger students through the four steps of analyzing a political cartoon.

Cartoon Analysis Guide

This two-page PDF from the Library of Congress identifies the persuasive techniques used in political cartoons.

Analyze a Cartoon (Older Students)

This one-page PDF from the National Archives takes older students through the four steps of analyzing a political cartoon.

I hope you’ll find the above resources a help in utilizing political cartoons as windows into various time periods. And just maybe, fifty years from now, one of your students will be writing about how memorable your classes were way back in the 2023-2024 school year.

Roy Winkelman is a 40+ year veteran teacher of students from every level kindergarten through graduate school. As the former Director of FCIT, he began the Center's focus on providing students with rich content collections from which to build their understanding. When not glued to his keyboard, Dr. Winkelman can usually be found puttering around his tomato garden in Pittsburgh. Questions about this post or suggestions for a future topic? Email me at [email protected] . To ensure that your email is not blocked, please do not change the subject line. Thank you!

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Saturday, August 13, 2011

Historic political cartoons.

• American Association of Editorial Cartoonists Political cartoons by the members of the American Association of Editorial Cartoonists
• About.com: Political Cartoons Comprehensive guide to political editorial cartoons on the Web
• Using editorial cartoons in the classroom Sources, analysis, interpretation (mostly English with some German)
• Gettysburg College Civil War Era Digital Collection Contains over 300 Civil War Era political cartoons
• American Social History Online
• The Role of Puck's Cartoons in Gilded Age Politics from American Studies at the University of Virginia
• CartoonMovement.com: Political Cartoons and Comics Journalism from around the world

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