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".