Franklin D. Roosevelt’s response to the Great Depression required an unprecedented level of involvement by the Federal government. Regardless of the FDR’s intentions, the varied realities of Americans opened the New Deal up to mixed reviews. While some newspapers accommodated supporters, many publications featured political cartoons critical of the New Deal. This inquiry asks students to consider which elements of political cartoons were the most influential.
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About the inquiry
Compelling Question
What makes political cartoons so powerful?
Standards
D2.His.11.9-12. Critique the usefulness of historical sources for a specific historical inquiry based on their maker, date, place of origin, intended audience, and purpose.
Instructional Snapshot
Class begins with students annotating political cartoons as they analyze titles, headings, captions, imagery, symbolism, and overall messaging. They will consider elements that serve to educate viewers as well as evoke strong emotions.
Next, students select 10 of the political cartoons to rank from least powerful to most powerful and they physically lay the images out in order on their desks. They can determine what “powerful” means in their groups. Each group then shares its criteria and top choices with the class. The teacher can discuss the sourcing of these cartoons with students, discussing how the politics of newspaper publishers may have resulted in a biased representation of the New Deal by artists and why.
Students then develop guidance for creating an effective political cartoon. This could look like a political cartoon template, a recipe, or simply a checklist, depending on students’ needs.
Formative Tasks
COLLABORATE: Annotate political cartoons to identify features meant to influence viewers’ understanding or feelings of an issue.
DELIBERATE: Rank the samples from least powerful to most powerful.
PRODUCE: Create guidance for an artist on how to produce a compelling and persuasive political cartoon.
Sources
Source Set: New Deal Political Cartoons
Summative Performance Task
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Taking Informed Action
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