This document provides guidance on analyzing political cartoons from the Reconstruction era following the U.S. Civil War. It identifies the common artistic devices used in political cartoons, such as important people, symbols, exaggerated details, labels, thought bubbles, and captions. It then explains specific symbols used in a cartoon depicting Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson repairing the country - Lincoln is shown as a rail splitter, representing his early career, while Johnson is depicted as a tailor, also referring to his early career. The thread symbolizes the reconstruction programs. Finally, it states that political cartoons are primary sources that provide insight into the time period depicted.

1. Analyzing Political Cartoons
Reconstruction Project

2. Artistic Devices
• Political Cartoons use some or all of these
devices:
– Important people (recognizable characters)
– Symbols
– Exaggerated details
– Labels (identification)
– Voice or thought bubbles
– A caption

4. Identify the Devices in the cartoon
Voice or thought bubbles
Important or
recognizable
person
labels
symbols
Caption (title of the cartoon)
Exaggerated
Detail

5. • President Lincoln and Vice-President Johnson
are repairing the torn country at the end of
the Civil War.

6. Lincoln as rail splitter
• Lincoln once split rails for
the railroad. This image is
used often in
cartoons.

7. Andrew Johnson as tailor
• Andrew Johnson had apprenticed as a tailor
when he was a boy. Later he opened his own
shop.

8. • This explains why these two images are used
in this political cartoon.
• The thread symbolizes the programs used
during the Reconstruction (i.e. Freedman’s
Bureau).

9. Cartoons as Primary Sources
• Political cartoons are primary documents.
• They can tell us a lot about the time period we
are studying.

10. Assignment
You will interpret the cartoons in your packet.
Read the section that corresponds with the
cartoon and fill in the chart.

11. Section 2

12. Section 3

13. Section 4

14. Section 5