Curated OER
Political Cartoons of Political Machines: New Your City
Students discover details about political machine bosses. In this political cartoon lesson, students use the provided political cartoon analysis worksheet to analyze cartoons of Boss Tweed. Students then compose essays about the...
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: Drawing Inspiration
In this historical events worksheet, students analyze political cartoons about about shifting blame. Students then respond to 2 short answer questions.
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: Seasonal Symbols
In this current events worksheet, students analyze political cartoons featuring Santa Claus as a symbol. Students respond to 3 talking point questions.
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: From Toons to Icons
For this current events worksheet, students analyze political cartoons that feature icons like the hot dog and the teddy bear. Students respond to 3 talking point questions.
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: The Making of an Editorial Cartoon
In this current events instructional activity, students analyze a political cartoon about the making of an editorial cartoon and respond to 3 talking point questions.
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: Nothing is More Patriotic Than Social Criticism
In this historical events worksheet, students analyze political cartoons that feature social criticism. Students respond to 2 talking point questions.
Curated OER
Interpreting Political Cartoons
Students review political cartoons and discuss what political impact they can have. They choose a current political cartoon and write an essay exploring its intent and impact.
Curated OER
Political Cartoons
Students analyze cartoons by identifying the symbols, characters and information and its significance in history. They examine the economic and political changes in contemporary America. They determine that political cartoons play an...
Curated OER
Cartoons in the Classroom: Party Animals
In this current events worksheet, students analyze political cartoons that feature donkeys and elephants as political party symbols and respond to 2 short answer questions.
Curated OER
Thomas Nast political cartoons
Students think about entrepreneurialism and participate in a business project of their own.
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
Immigrant Discrimination
For a class learning about Chinese and Irish immigration in America, here's a great starting lesson plan. It has your critical thinkers examining song lyrics, the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, and a political cartoon, and finally...
Curated OER
Smart Art
Students examine and practice the art of political cartoon-making by focusing on how and why they are so effective in making a political point.
Curated OER
"Black ans White": Nineteenth Century Racism
Students examine Thomas Nast's illustration, "Black and White," looking for examples of racism. Contemporary stereotypes utilized to demonstrate the attitudes of people in the North and South in the 1800's are explored.
Curated OER
Chinese Immigration 1860s-1880s
Eighth graders consider the plight of Chinese immigrants to America. For this immigration lesson, 8th graders analyze political cartoons from the late 1800's that exemplify American public opinion regarding Chinese immigrants. The...
Curated OER
Images of Immigration
High schoolers evaluate how images of immigrants reflected political and social attitudes toward them in the United States. They interpret visual images in the context of historical and political developments.
Curated OER
Istanbul
Students explore the growing trade and tourist relationship between Greece and Turkey. They then research key event in Greco-Turkish history from each sides perspective to create political cartoons and a time line for classroom display.
Stanford University
Sheg: Document Based History: Reading Like a Historian: Thomas Nast
[Free Registration/Login Required] Students read primary source documents to solve a problem surrounding a historical question. This document-based inquiry lesson allows students to analyze two cartoons drawn by Thomas Nast, and to chart...
US Senate
U.s. Senate: Art & History: Political Cartoons of Thomas Nast
Thomas Nast was an astute observer of the political machinations in Washington, D.C., as well as New York City. This slideshow of his cartoons show the quarrel between the moderate Republcans and the conservatives as they tried to gain...
University of Houston
University of Houston: Engines of Our Ingenuity: Thomas Nast
Thomas Nast was the first influential American political cartoonist. Read about his transformation from an illustrator of the Civil War to one who took on Boss Tweed and the corruption of Tammany Hall.
Son of the South
Son of the South: Christmas Dinner
Using a Thomas Nast political cartoon from 1864, the author explains Lincoln's plan for Reconstruction, a plan that was never to be carried out.
Harp Week
Cartoon of the Day: On This Day: May 13, 1882
Flooding along the Mississippi River system has been a problem for many states and presidents. Look over this political cartoon drawn by Thomas Nast and read a little history behind the problem and see why President Arthur vetoed the...
Harp Week
The Presidential Elections: 1884 Cleveland v. Blaine: Cartoons
Political cartoons add a great deal of context to events. These cartoons from Harper's Weekly, covering the election of 1884, are organized by topic ranging from the Republican and Democratic nominations, to cartoons about the issues, to...
Other
Thomas Nast: The Impeachment of Andrew Johnson
Within the article about the President's impeachment is this brief article about cartoonist Thomas Nast, who started as a cartoonist during the Civil War, but saw his greatest influence in the take-down of Boss Tweed and Tammany Hall.
Harp Week
Harp Week: The Presidential Elections: 1880 Cartoon List
This fabulous site compiles political cartoons from Harper's Weekly for the campaing of 1880. The cartoons are drawn by Thomas Nast, and each cartoon is thoroughly explained. A great resource.