Uncle Sam: Gosh! I wish they wouldn't come quite so many in a bunch; but, if I've got to take them, I guess I can do as well by them as I've done by the others.
A political cartoon from Puck magazine, August 1898, shows Uncle Sam, as the headmaster of an orphanage, receiving a basket of new babies. A woman representing Columbia is reaching her hand out to greet them. The basket is being held by two arms marked “manifest destiny.” The babies are labeled Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Cuba, and Philippines. Inside the asylum are older children playing. These children are labeled Texas, New Mexico, California, and Alaska.
Use the cartoon, by Udo J. Keppler, titled “A trifle embarrassed,” to answer the question.
Which of the following BEST summarizes the opinion of the cartoonist on the annexation of Hawaii?
A.
The annexation was immoral.
B.
The annexation was illegal.
C.
The annexation was favorable.
D.
The annexation was a burden.
D. The annexation was a burden.
D. The annexation was a burden.
To determine the cartoonist's opinion on the annexation of Hawaii, let's examine the visual elements and context provided in the cartoon. In the cartoon, Uncle Sam, depicted as the headmaster of an orphanage, is receiving a basket of new babies labeled Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Cuba, and Philippines. A woman representing Columbia is reaching her hand out to greet them. The arms holding the basket are marked "manifest destiny," indicating a sense of fate or inevitable expansion.
Inside the asylum, there are older children labeled Texas, New Mexico, California, and Alaska, who are already part of the United States. This depiction suggests that these older children are existing territories that have already been assimilated into the United States.
Considering the overall composition of the cartoon, the opinion of the cartoonist on the annexation of Hawaii can be inferred as option C: The annexation was favorable. The cartoonist depicts Uncle Sam, representing the United States, begrudgingly accepting the new babies but acknowledging that he can handle them, just as he has handled the other territories. This suggests that the cartoonist views the annexation of Hawaii as something that the United States can manage or handle, though it may present some challenges.