A Guide to Primary Resources for U.S. History : American Imperialism: Another Shotgun Wedding University of Hawai'i Kapi'olani Community College Library: Political Caricatures of the Hawaiian Kingdom, 1875-1905 American Imperialism: School Begins University of Hawai'i Kapi'olani Community College Library: Political Caricatures of the Hawaiian Kingdom, 1875-1905 These paired digital resources are political cartoons from the period of United States' overseas expansion. They give students the chance to discover how the events of the period were experienced by some of the American citizens who lived through them, as well as an opportunity to think about the implications of certain aspects of American foreign policy. The political cartoon, "A Shotgun Wedding," could serve as a prompt for a journal question like: "What do you think the cartoonist is trying to say about Hawaii's annexation about the United States? Use details from the comic to explain your answer." The second political cartoon, "School Begins," could also serve as a journal prompt like: "What do you think the cartoonist is trying to say about the countries represented in the front row, compared to those sitting in the back row? Use details from the comic to support your answer." Students could browse the website "Political Caricatures of the Hawaiian Kingdom, circa 1875-1905," and find additional cartoons that offer more views on U.S. imperialism in the Pacific. The teacher could ask students to ascertain how many are pro-expansionist and how many anti-imperialist; once they have discovered that most are anti-imperialist, the teacher could initiate a class discussion on the reasons why this is so. Using either of the cartoons in these digital resources, students could use their text and other resources to explain why they agree or disagree with that cartoon's message. Student responses could be in the form of an essay, a persuasive speech, or a cartoon of their own. Students could share their responses with the class. Students could choose one of the countries represented in the front row of the classroom in the cartoon, "School Begins." Using their text, other cartoons from the website "Political Caricatures of the Hawaiian Kingdom, circa 1875-1905," and other resources, students could research U.S. policy toward the nation in question, the reaction of the citizens of that country towards the United States, and the ultimate relationship between the United States and that nation. Students could then create a cartoon, poem, or other finished product to represent U.S. policy toward the particular country, from the perspective of a citizen of that country.

(a) explaining the changing policies of the United States toward Latin America and Asia and the growing influence of the United States in foreign markets;

American Imperialism: Another Shotgun Wedding
University of Hawai'i Kapi'olani Community College Library: Political Caricatures of the Hawaiian Kingdom, 1875-1905

American Imperialism: School Begins
University of Hawai'i Kapi'olani Community College Library: Political Caricatures of the Hawaiian Kingdom, 1875-1905

Description: These paired digital resources are political cartoons from the period of United States' overseas expansion. They give students the chance to discover how the events of the period were experienced by some of the American citizens who lived through them, as well as an opportunity to think about the implications of certain aspects of American foreign policy.

Teaching Tips:

"Do Now" Suggestion

The political cartoon, "A Shotgun Wedding," could serve as a prompt for a journal question like: "What do you think the cartoonist is trying to say about Hawaii's annexation about the United States? Use details from the comic to explain your answer." The second political cartoon, "School Begins," could also serve as a journal prompt like: "What do you think the cartoonist is trying to say about the countries represented in the front row, compared to those sitting in the back row? Use details from the comic to support your answer." Students could browse the website "Political Caricatures of the Hawaiian Kingdom, circa 1875-1905," and find additional cartoons that offer more views on U.S. imperialism in the Pacific. The teacher could ask students to ascertain how many are pro-expansionist and how many anti-imperialist; once they have discovered that most are anti-imperialist, the teacher could initiate a class discussion on the reasons why this is so.

Suggestion for Using this Resource as Part of a Lesson

Using either of the cartoons in these digital resources, students could use their text and other resources to explain why they agree or disagree with that cartoon's message. Student responses could be in the form of an essay, a persuasive speech, or a cartoon of their own. Students could share their responses with the class. Students could choose one of the countries represented in the front row of the classroom in the cartoon, "School Begins." Using their text, other cartoons from the website "Political Caricatures of the Hawaiian Kingdom, circa 1875-1905," and other resources, students could research U.S. policy toward the nation in question, the reaction of the citizens of that country towards the United States, and the ultimate relationship between the United States and that nation. Students could then create a cartoon, poem, or other finished product to represent U.S. policy toward the particular country, from the perspective of a citizen of that country.