How Do You Analyze A Political Cartoon?

I believe that in order to analyze a political cartoon, you must look at all the specific words on the cartoon, also look at the cartoon and what they are doing. Look at the hand gestures, and specific actions of the cartoons to identify who the cartoons are of. Once you figure out the identity of the cartoons, identify the issue, then you may be able to understand why they are doing what they are doing in the cartoon and understand what the cartoon is trying to convey.

According to loc.gov, you must find the symbolism of the cartoonists, then, think about what the reasons behind the symbols are. Next, look at what is over exaggerated  because that is usually the issue the the cartoonist is trying to convey. Next, look at the labels that the cartoonist has given throughout the cartoon. Cartoonists usually label little things in the cartoon to also get their point across. Next, look at analogies, which are given to compare two unlike things that have similar characteristics. Finally, find the irony of the cartoons which show what the cartoons should be doing but aren't  because they don't usually do those things.

This political cartoon expresses the way the US took control of the Philippines to help educate them and Christianize them. President McKinley, wanted to help them but was really hurting them because they were not given any of the rights because they were "Native" so they were treated like Natives. I observed and reflected on my reading to achieve this conclusion. 

This political cartoon shows the way the countries ended up becoming. Cuba became independent, we claimed Puerto Rico, and the Philippines became independent as well. They were considered native by the Americans and were treated as Natives. I came to this conclusion based on my observation and understanding and reflection of my reading. 

In this political cartoon, Uncle Sam and a Chinese man are on one side of the see-saw with The King on the other side. They are balancing over sugar. This represents the way they created trade between the Chinese and Hawaii and was annexed to the US. So Hawaii was being controlled a little by the US. Based on my observations, I came to this conclusion because of my understanding of the reading and and observations.