Spanish American War cartoons

Michael Rivera
December/15/2014

The reality of The Spanish American War

                                          

                                The Spanish American war took place in 1898, it was a conflict between America and Spain over The Spanish colonial rule over America. The war originated from the Cubans looking for independence from Spain. Many cartoons where published in news papers or posters. Propaganda, using a symbol or image that is not portrayed correctly or shows a opposite meaning, was commonly used in these cartoons. Also yellow journalism which is using sensationalism and crude exaggeration, was very common. The result of this was signing of the Treaty of Paris, written on December, 10, 1898 which granted Cuba its independence and causing Spain to cede Porto Rico and Guam.

This cartoon shows the "Bright color" of America beating up a beaten up Spain. The phrase "Spain sees stars and stripes" is a metaphor commonly used to when someone takes trauma and seeing stars. Although being referred to Spain seeing the stars and Stripes of America.

This cartoon portrays the three countries Guam, Porto Rico, and Cuba, knocking on the door of the U.S. The kids look like they need help and show sorrow and fear. Uncle Sam walks out with smile looking like he wants to help. This explains how these three countries helped gained freedom from Spain with the help of the U.S. With that being said they made the idea of making them helpless kids show them a week and helpless.

This cartoon shows Theodore Roosevelt leaving the "foot prints" of America on the Caribbean sea. He carry's along with him naval ships showing what will happen to the countries now that they are a part of America. He's holding his "Big Stick", which he mentions while this was going on. This is very common in Theodore Roosevelt cartoons.