Imperialism Cartoons
These are examples. You can NOT
use them for your project; that is
plagiarism and you will receive a
0!
 Some examples of animal representation of countries
 United States: eagle
 Britain: lion
 Russia: bear
 Germany: falcon
 China: dragon
 France: rooster
 Spain: bull
 India: elephant/tiger
 Belgium: weak lion
 Methods:
 Colony
 Protectorate
 Sphere of Influence
 Economic Imperialism
 Motives:
 Political: strategic location, gaining territory, governmental
 Economic: making money, trade
 Ideological: Social Darwinism, racism
 Religious: Christianize
 Exploratory: scientific knowledge, to explore new areas
Political Cartoon Analysis
Identify people or objects in the cartoon.
Which objects are symbols?
What do you think they mean?
Does the cartoon have a caption?
What emotions are portrayed in the cartoon?
Describe the action occurring in the cartoon.
Explain the message of the cartoon.
Who might support this message? Why?
Who might oppose this message? Why?
Cartoon
information:
• England is
portrayed as
an octopus.
• England is
laying claim
to as much
of the world
as it can.
• World
imperialism.
Cartoon
information:
• England is
portrayed as
lion.
• England is
laying claim
India.
• There is a
transaction
going on in
the
background.
Cartoon
information:
• Rhodes
Colossus is
based on Cecil
Rhodes an
imperialist in
Africa.
• Rhodes was
racist.
• The cartoon
portrays
Rhodes uniting
the African
continent with
telegraph lines.
Cartoon
information:
• Portrayal of
the Monroe
Doctrine.
• U.S. is
portrayed as
a rooster.
• The European
nations are
being kept in
the coop (out
of the
Western
Hemisphere
Cartoon
information:
• Shows
Africa
getting
ripped
apart by
European
powers.
Cartoon
information:
Shows European
powers and
Japan dividing up
China and China
protests in the
background.
Cartoon
information:
• Shows Theodore
Roosevelt
patrolling the
Caribbean Sea.
• The caption
reads “The Big
Stick in the
Caribbean Sea.”
• This cartoon is a
reference to the
Roosevelt
Corollary and his
“big stick”
philosophy.
Student
created:
Imperialism
in Africa