A lesson for anti expansionists cartoon

Discussion Questions based on Josiah Strong's and Aguinaldo's documents:

1. How does Josiah Strong justify the idea of world domination by Anglo-Saxons?

Answer: Josiah justified the US attempt at world domination using religion, American values, and the idea of “survival of the fittest”. He argued that it was inevitable, either these non-christian civilizations would rise to the occasion or be dominated by the more powerful nation.

2. Why does Aguinaldo think that the United States is betraying its own values? In what ways does Aguinaldo think that Americans misunderstand the Filipinos?

Answer: Aguinaldo believes that the US is betraying its own values because he believes that the U.S. is forcing Filipinos to live in designated zones, where poor sanitation, starvation, and disease killed thousands. These harsh and intolerable living conditions go against the U.S government's attempt of providing equality to all kinds of US citizens. Aguinaldo thinks that the Americans misunderstand Filipinos by viewing them as either ignorant savages, uneducated dummies, or something similar to the Mohawk Indians. This in turn makes America believe that they can't function on their own.

“You went to the Philippines under the impression that their inhabitants were ignorant savages…. We have been represented by your popular press as if we were Africans or Mohawks Indians. We smile and deplore the want of ethnological knowledge on the part of our literary friends. We are none of these. We are simply Filipinos….”

3. How do these documents reflect different definitions of liberty?

Answer: Josaih’s document reflected the idea of manifest destiny which states that US was both justified and inevitable. His idea was that the US was liberating the world by incorporating the constitution into other counties governments because Americans have a lot of liberties. From Emilio’s perspective however, the US was not giving them a chance to liberate themselves. Emilio compared the Philippines to the US pre-revolution, Americans treating the Philippines like Britain treated their colonies. Both countries were trying to achieve the same thing but had different beliefs on how liberation could be reached.

Questions based on the Cartoons:

Louis Dairymple. “School Begins.” Puck. (Keppler & Schwarzmann, New York: 1899).

Victor Gillam. “A Lesson for Anti-Expansionists.” Judge. (Arkell Publishing Company, New York: 1899).

1. Describe what you see in each of the two cartoons. There are a lot of details, so look closely.

Answer: In the first cartoon labeled: In Louis Dairymple. “School Begins.” Puck. (Keppler & Schwarzmann, New York: 1899), it shows Uncle Sam as a teacher. There is a book on his desk that is titled “U.S. First Lessons in Self-Government”. He is standing behind his desk in front of his new students who are labeled as Cuba, Porto Rico, Hawaii, and Philippines. They appear very unhappy. In the back of the classroom, there are students labeled as California, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and Alaska. It looks like an African American boy is cleaning the windows while a Native boy stands by the door reading a book upside down titled, “ABC”. A chinese boy stands right outside the door of the classroom. In the second cartoon labeled: Victor Gillam. “A Lesson for Anti-Expansionists.” Judge. (Arkell Publishing Company, New York: 1899), it depicts Uncle Sam in a time frame from 1783 to 1800. In 1783 he is shown as a baby. As time goes on, Uncle Sam starts to acquire new outfits along with new weaponry as he gets older. Uncle Sam gets much bigger as time goes on and by 1899, it looks as though he’s going to literally burst open. At the very right of the picture, there are many hands trying to make offers with Uncle Sam. The last caption states that these hands are trying to be on good terms with Uncle Sam.

2. Compare their messages. Which of the two cartoons is pro-expansionism, and which is against it? Support your claims with specific examples.

Answer: Dairymple’s illustration depicted the US trying to help these developing countries through expansionism because in the picture, the US is acting like a teacher trying to discipline their colonies who are depicted as disobeying children. Gillam depicted the US as a fat business man who is collecting upon his assets.

3. What details of the two cartoons embody the idea of “the white man's burden” discussed in this week’s lecture, and why do you think they do so? Make sure to address at least two details from one of the cartoons.

Answer: One detail is on the “School Begins” Entails Uncle Sam mainly lecturing and scolding the brown kids on the front row. This reflects that this could end up happening in the Philippines during the colonization of America. Also, at the time since other Islander regions did not have a government like the U.S, “Until they can govern themselves.” - found on the blackboard behind all of the students.

The Second detail is on “A Lesson For Anti-Expansionists” which shows a timeline of uncle Sam growing up. In these figures show that he has been conquering land all of his life and this picture shows that he is no different than the other imperialist regions in Southeast Asia, during 1899.

(Optional): If time permits, share your final thoughts on the topic and/or sources.

Answer: It is interesting to note what Emilio Aquinaldo says about America towards the end on how The United States represents Life and Liberty, and yet they go to all these lands and take that away from those native people. He shows a different side in America’s government and challenges it’s legitimacy.

“...In the face of the world you emblazon humanity and Liberty upon your standard, while you cast your political constitution to the winds and attempt to trample down and exterminate a brave people whose only crime is that they are fighting for their liberty.”