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.
Using the cartoon, answer (a) and (b):
(a) In 2–3 sentences, explain the significance of presenting the United States as a “foundling asylum,” or orphanage.
(b) In 2–3 sentences, explain what this cartoon suggests about domestic attitudes to the annexation of Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines.
(a) The cartoon presents the United States as a foundling asylum, or orphanage, to suggest that the nation is taking in new territories and states as if they were children in need of care and protection.
(b) The cartoon suggests that domestic attitudes to the annexation of Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines were generally positive, as Uncle Sam is shown to be welcoming the new territories with open arms. The arms of Manifest Destiny, which are holding the basket of babies, further emphasize the idea that the United States was meant to expand and take in new territories.
(a) Presenting the United States as a "foundling asylum" implies that the nation is responsible for taking in and caring for these new territories, just as an orphanage would care for abandoned children. It suggests that the United States has a moral duty to provide for and govern these territories.
(b) The cartoon suggests that domestic attitudes towards the annexation of Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines were somewhat apprehensive, yet accepting. The image of Uncle Sam as the headmaster of the asylum shows a sense of responsibility and willingness to take on these new territories, even though it may be a challenge. The presence of older children labeled Texas, New Mexico, California, and Alaska indicates that there is a history of annexation, making the acceptance of these new territories somewhat routine.
(a) Presenting the United States as a "foundling asylum," or orphanage, in the cartoon suggests that the country is taking on the responsibility of caring for and assimilating new territories, symbolized by the babies labeled Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Cuba, and Philippines. It implies that the United States sees itself as the protector or caretaker of these newly acquired territories.
(b) The cartoon suggests that there were mixed attitudes towards the annexation of Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines in domestic America. The portrayal of Uncle Sam as the headmaster accepting the new territories with some reluctance and Columbia reaching out her hand to greet them implies a sense of obligation or duty, but also a certain level of anxiety or hesitation. It reflects the complexity of domestic attitudes towards American expansionism and the perceived role of the United States in the world.
(a) The significance of presenting the United States as a "foundling asylum," or orphanage, in the cartoon is to symbolize the role of the United States in taking in and caring for these newly acquired territories. By portraying Uncle Sam as the headmaster of an orphanage, it emphasizes the idea that it is the responsibility of the United States to take care of these new "babies" or territories.
To answer (b), we can analyze the symbolism in the cartoon. The woman representing Columbia greeting the new babies implies that the United States is welcoming these territories with open arms. However, the arms marked "manifest destiny" holding the basket suggests a sense of forceful annexation, as "manifest destiny" was the belief that the United States was destined to expand its territory. The older children inside the asylum labeled with the names of existing states symbolize the acceptance and integration of previous territories into the United States. Overall, the cartoon suggests that there may have been varying attitudes towards the annexation of Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines, ranging from a sense of duty and responsibility to a more forceful and imperialistic approach.