Period 6, Day 1: Boss Tweed & the Gilded Age

A political cartoon is a cartoon that makes a about a political issue or event. You can find them in any daily newspaper, but they won’t be in the comics section. Instead, look on the editorial pages. You can also find them in magazines and on political websites. Political cartoons can be very , especially if you understand the issue that they’re commenting on. Their main purpose, though, is not to amuse you but to persuade you. A good political cartoon makes you think about current events, but it also tries to sway your toward the cartoonist’s point of view. The best political cartoonist can change your mind on an issue without you even realizing how he or she did it.

Cartoonists use several methods, or techniques, to get their point across, such as symbolism, exaggeration, labeling, analogy, and . Not every cartoon includes all techniques, but most political cartoons include at least a few. Once you learn to spot these techniques, you’ll be able to see the cartoonist’s point of view more clearly.

However, don’t assume their message is truth; consider any potential that they may hold. Look out for persuasive techniques in everyday life such as political ads and TV news There are a lot of people trying to you; it’s important to be aware of how they’re trying to do it so you can make up your mind.

If you want to review the examples we went over in class, they are available on slide #20-24 here.