2.  Political cartoons provide a visual means by which individuals can express their opinions. They have been used throughout history to engage viewers in discussion about an event, issue, or individual.

3.  The political cartoon can be traced back to the 1400s; however, it became a popular art form in the 1700s in Europe.  In America, the political cartoon obtained dominance during the Revolutionary War. It made it possible to satirize events, uniting colonists in their struggle for independence against Britain.

4.  Comic art is the most innocent form of cartoon comment. The artist’s goal is simple entertainment. This kind of art tries for a humorous and good-humored observation on daily life and problems.

5.  Social Comments are a little more cutting edge added to the comic art. In such cartoons, the artist aspires to comment about daily life and its problems. The purpose s to bring a smile of recognition, hopefully to make life and its irritations a little easier to take. The social cartoon tends to have a more objective point of view.

6.  Political cartoons have a very subjective view point. The goal of the political cartoon is to try to influence the viewer to adopt a particular viewpoint or make him/her take action.  They are generally partisan messages for viewers about what they should think or do politically.  Most political cartoons are a form of journalistic comment with regard to specific political events of the day, similar to an editorial

7.  Propaganda  Draw attention to an idea or event  Present a point of view  Encourage a course of action  Stimulate debate on an issue or event A political cartoon can serve more than one purpose at a time.

8.  Symbolism: any object or design that stands for something else.  Exaggeration and Distortion (hyperbole): changes in size or shape that often add to the cartoon’s point. Distorting an object means changing it in some way to make it look funny, ugly, etc.  Captions: words used to reinforce the cartoon’s non-verbal features. Words help the other parts of the cartoon make an overall point.

9.  Humor and irony: Irony is a type of humor. Verbal, situational, or dramatic irony help cartoonists present an idea in such an odd way that the view seems ridiculous.  Stereotyping: a simplistic view of some group. It is often insulting and does not leave room for individuality.  Caricatures: a portrayal of a character’s features in an exaggerated and distorted way

10. Cut and paste 2 of the provided cartoons into your journal. Beside or underneath the cartoon answer/do the following in complete sentences:  What issue or event does the cartoon deal with?  Describe what is taking place.  What is the cartoon’s message?  Who is the intended audience?  What is the cartoonists point of view?  What groups would agree or disagree with the cartoon’s message?  Identify which devices (the ones we just discussed and any additional ones you see) the cartoon is utilizing and WHY.

11.  Create your own political cartoon on a current issue  Consider your audience and purpose and make sure your point of view is clear  Use at least 2 devices we discussed