Whats So Funny Using Cartoons as Primary Sources

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Whats So Funny? Using Cartoons as Primary
Sources
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Why Use Cartoons

• Information about historical events
• Attitudes of society at the time
• Good example of multiple perspectives
• Remember, a cartoonist is expressing an opinion
  not fact

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Where to Find Cartoons

• Newspapers
• Editorial pages
• Archival collections
• CA at OHS
• Collected works
• Artist or topic specific
• Internet sites
• See CD tutorial

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Tools Used By Cartoonist

• Exaggeration
• Allusion
• Analogy
• Symbolism
• Caricature
• Stereotype
• Humor
• Personification

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Interpreting Cartoons

• Historical background
• Secondary sources
• Date
• Examine the publication
• Use visual clues
• Issue
• Read surrounding editorials and articles
• Labels, Symbols and Stereotypes
• Secondary sources and surrounding editorials and
  articles
• Artist

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Interpreting Cartoons
What about this cartoon?
1972 Olympic Games, Munich
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Thomas Nast (1840-1902)

• Popularized the elephant and donkey as
  representations of Republican and Democratic
  parties
• Originated popular image of Santa Claus
• Began a position at Harpers Weekly in summer of
  1862
• Decline in popularity and skill in the mid-1870s
• Considered the Father of American Caricature

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Primary Source Activity

• Look at your Thomas Nast cartoon
• Complete the activity
• Share with the group
• What did you notice about your cartoon compared
  to the other cartoons?

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Now its YOUR turn!

• Create your own cartoon about the Civil War or
  Reconstruction
• Who are the players?
• What position are you supporting?
• Be creative
• Draw the opposite of your opinion
• Experiment with symbols
• Are you drawing as a contemporary or in
  retrospect?
• Share with the group

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Example

• If I pick Ohio and Underground Railroad as my
  topic, my cartoon may look like this

If you have artistic skills your cartoon may
actually look much better!