Political cartoons use symbolism and imagery to simplify complex ideas and inform the public more quickly than plain text. Famous cartoonists like Thomas Nast in the late 1800s/early 1900s and Benjamin Franklin's "Join or Die" cartoon in 1745 effectively used the medium to impact political life. Common symbolic representations in political cartoons include Uncle Sam for the United States, a beaver for Canada, a bear for Russia, and a dragon for China. Students are assigned to either create their own political cartoon or write an editorial on a topic of their choosing.