WWI Poster Analysis

1. Propaganda is a method used by the government to get people to do or think something through the use of ads, signs, posters, etc.

2. Propaganda (as defined by dictionary.com): information, ideas, or rumors deliberately spread widely to help or harm a person, group, institution, nation, etc.

3. Set #1

4-6.  On the first poster, the reader's eyes are immediately drawn to the words "WAKE UP, AMERICA!" at the top of the page. After that, the audience notices the woman asleep in a chair wearing a hat and dress with the pattern of the American flag on them. Finally, the viewer notices the words at the bottom "CIVILIZATION CALLS EVERY MAN WOMAN AND CHILD!" The author of this poster is targeting everyone in America (including women and children) to do their patriotic duty instead of "slacking off" like the woman on the poster.
        In the second poster, the audience first sees the giant gorilla wearing a German helmet, carrying a woman in distress, and wielding a club with the word "kultur" on it (meaning "culture" in German). Then the reader notices the words "DESTROY THIS MAD BRUTE" and "ENLIST, US ARMY". The author of this poster was reaching out to young, American men to join the army and "save the young maidens" who are being "held captive" by the monstrous Germans.
        In the third and final poster, the viewer first notices the giant "Hun" (meant to represent the barbaric Germans) looking across the ocean from the pile of rubble it created from the countries it's "destroyed". Next the audience's eyes are drawn to the words "Beat back the HUN with LIBERTY BONDS". The author of this poster wanted to convince all American citizens to buy liberty bonds to "defend their country" from the Germans.

7. I think that propaganda was a smart idea: using people's emotional response to a picture and/or phrase to convince or coerce them into doing something. I also think that it can be good when it's used for the right reasons, but can also be an "abuse of power" so-to-speak if used for the wrong reasons.

8. The federal government felt it necessary to invest in producing propaganda posters during WWI, because if they didn't remind everyone that there was a war going on across the ocean, the people in America would be able to just pretend it wasn't happening. So the government needed to create and circulate propaganda to remind the Americans and encourage them to participate.

Hawaiian: The Legend of Eddie Aikau

Eddie Aikau

      Even though the film Hawaiian: The Legend of Eddie Aikau focuses on the life and surfing career of Eddie Aikau, it allows the viewer to gain a deeper understanding of imperialism in the 19th century. Several people are interviewed in the film; during his interview, one of Eddie's siblings talks about the arrival of the Australians. He said that they came in, took over, and offended the native Hawaiians in the process. The Australians who had come to Hawaii to surf (which is a sport that was created by Hawaiians) were rude to the natives that had grown up there. Just like the United States did with the smaller nations of whom they had taken control. They came in, took over, and used the resources they found to their advantage - all while completely disregarding the native peoples and their cultures. The filmmakers interviewed one of the Australian surfers, and he told the audience that he hadn't even aware that he was offending the Hawaiians until Eddie Aikau sat him down and told him about the history of the Hawaiians. Likewise, the US was probably unaware - or just didn't care - that they were changing everything for the native peoples without taking a minute to ask them about their history or what they wanted.

How to Analyze a Political Cartoon

     When analyzing a political cartoon, the first thing you do is look for familiar people, places, or things to figure out what the cartoon is about. Then you look for speech or thought bubbles that indicate what the author's opinions are. After that, you look at the positioning of the people, places, or things to see if it is suggestive of anything. That's all that I'd know to do when looking at a political cartoon.
     A few things I didn't think about that was in the cartoon analysis guide below were to look at the title, pay attention to what you notice first, notice what actions are taking place in the cartoon, and take note of the time period in which it was made.
     Cartoon Analysis Guide This guide sums up the process that I would use when analyzing a political cartoon.

Incorrigible - Philippines

     In this cartoon, the first thing you notice is Uncle Sam, who would obviously be representing the United States. Then your eyes are drawn to the boy in Uncle Sam's lap who has the word "Filipino" written across his back who represents the Philippines. This cartoon is showing America punishing the Philippines for "misbehaving". Then you see the slip of paper sticking out of Uncle Sam's hat that says "Spanish Receipt for $20,000,000" implying that Spain owes the US money. 

Now, Will You Be Good? Uncle Sam (to Filipino)
 "See what I do for a good little boy?"

In this cartoon, you first notice Uncle Sam - once again representing the United States - watching over two children. The child on the right is meant to represent Cuba, dressed in a hat and holding a flag of US colors, already submitting to the influence of America. The child on the left (on whom Uncle Sam is focused) is supposed to be the Philippines. Unlike Cuba, the Philippines have not yet fallen under US control, so they don't get the "toys" that Cuba gets from America.

Filipino's First Bath

     In this cartoon, President McKinley (known by the name "McKinley" written across the top of his bathing suit) is seen holding an unruly child over a body of water labeled "civilization". The child is meant to represent the Philippines (this is assumed based on the title "Filipino's First Bath"). The Philippines is once again seen as a "dirty" child that needs to be "cleansed" by the US. In the back, two other children representing Cuba, are getting dressed in clothes similar to the US flag after their "bath".