Cartoon Analysis Worksheet Key
Whiskey Rebellion
1. What is the date of the cartoon? 2006 depiction of events in 1794
2. What significant event(s) was taking place for the nation at the time of the
cartoon? The response to the tax placed on Whiskey.
3. Who is the author of the cartoon? Is a political bias apparent in the cartoon?
The author is Matt Handelsman. It could be politically biased in that the cartoon is not a
favorable depiction of the Whiskey Rebellion and therefore, more appreciated by Anti-Federalists.
It could also be perceived as a simple interpretation of the events surrounding the Whiskey
Rebellion.
4. What historical figures are in the cartoon? George Washington
5. What does the caption / title mean? Putting an end to the uprising that was a result of
federally imposed taxes on Whiskey.
6. What labels / phrases are within the cartoon? What do they mean? Inside the bottle there is a
picket sign that states-“No Whiskey Tax”-This is the platform from which the rebels were working.
Pennsylvania Whiskey 1794 is the label on the bottle which is an indication of the place and time
the events occurred. Washington is holding the constitution which indicates that he felt justified in
using the military to put down the rebellion.
7. Do the labels within the cartoon support or challenge the caption or title?
Yes.
8. What objects do you see in the cartoon? List the three most prominent. Are
the objects symbols or stereotypes? Explain 1.Washington: In the cartoon he appears to be
larger than all those protesting and his facial expression is one of a scowl. The author has
presented him in a way that appears dominant and authoritative. This is a stereotype of how
those rebelling and the Anti-Federalist would have perceived Washington and the Federalists at
the time. 2. The bottled-up protestors are another symbol in the cartoon and this is a symbol of
the time and the growing pains of a new country. 3. The Constitution is the tool Washington used
to reinforce the decisions he made regarding the rebellion. This is a symbol of the authority the
document had in governing the nation.
9. Summarize the point of the cartoon. The point of the cartoon is to show how Washington as
the leader of a New Nation maintained control of an event that could have divided the country
early on in its conception.
10. Who would support / oppose the message of the cartoon? Explain. This cartoon appears to
be in favor of the Anti-Federalists because it does not portray the actions of Washington in a
flattering light. It speaks directly to the concept of Federal Government being too big and having
too much control.