Goater, John H, and Thomas W Strong. Strong's Dime Caricatures. No. 2, Little Bo-Peep and Her Foolish Sheep. Thomas W. Strong. Photograph. Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2008661617/.
This primary source is a valuable tool as it provides a visual interpretation for students to use in exploring the Civil War and varying perspectives on the issues between the North and the South. Political cartoons offer a unique way for students to analyze historical matters while unpacking symbolism and furthering independent investigation into the reasoning behind political and economic decisions.
This is the second in a series of caricatures criticizing the secession of several Southern states from the Union during the last months of the Buchanan administration. Here the young nursery-rhyme shepherdess Bo-Peep represents the Union while watching as seven of her sheep flee into a forest of palmetto trees, a symbol of South Carolina, which is infested with wolves, representing European monarchs. Although unsigned, the print seems on stylistic grounds to have been drawn by John H. Goater, the artist responsible for numbers one, three, and probably four in the Dime Caricatures series.
Number two in a four part series, this satirical political cartoon criticizes the secession movement in the South during the closing months of the James Buchanan administration. Economic and political differences between the North and the South, including allocation of federal funds and the institution of slavery, caused severe tension, as well as disagreements over women’s rights. In addition, the impending inauguration of president-elect Abraham Lincoln paved the way for the Reconstruction of the Union, a pivotal time in history.
- What do you notice or wonder about the political cartoon?
- Which sheep are presented positively and which are presented negatively?
- How are the sheep used as satire to ridicule, expose, and criticize foolishness?
- What causes citizens to blindly follow leaders and fall into a herd mentality?
- How did the economic and political climate affect decisions made by politicians and citizens during this time period?
Common Core State Standards
RH.9-10.9: Integration of Knowledge and Ideas: Compare and contrast treatments of the same topic in several primary and secondary sources.
- In this primary-source political cartoon, the cartoonist demonstrates opposing points of view on the Civil War from a satirical angle. The symbolism in the piece relates to other sources, including nursery rhymes, while the use of sheep symbolizes herd mentality. This primary source can be paired with Strong’s dime caricatures numbers one, three, and four for comparison between multiple primary sources.
C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards: Grades 9-12: His.16.9-12. Integrate evidence from multiple relevant historical sources and interpretations into a reasoned argument about the past.
- The political cartoon offers an opportunity to incorporate evidence from multiple sources to write a claim with a counterclaim about issues related to the Civil War. To further independent investigation into the reasoning behind political and economic decisions, Union perspectives about the future of the United States can be contrasted with the Southern states’ point of view.
Consider incorporating this primary source into a study of Animal Farm by George Orwell to illustrate satire. Students will be able to understand that political cartoons sometimes use sheep to represent how citizens can blindly follow leaders and fall into a herd mentality. Within the novella study, create a gallery walk of this political cartoon in addition to others that highlight sheep blindly following political views or politicians from the same or another time period. Teachers can invite students to discuss what they notice and wonder about the cartoons, develop questions, engage in research, and compare the content of the political cartoons with events and characters in Animal Farm. After synthesizing information learned, students can present their findings through a jigsaw activity, a quickwrite, a slideshow presentation, or any other medium. Finally, students can create their own political cartoon representing the satire in Animal Farm and present their cartoons in a small group, to the whole class, or in a student-created gallery walk.
- The history of slavery in the United States is a difficult topic and can present challenges in teaching. Navigating through racial violence, political upheaval, and corruption in society is essential to afford students the opportunity to understand citizenship and democracy in the United States today.
Links to resources for approaching those topics
- Edutopia provides an article sharing how to approach these complex topics in a culturally responsive manner: “How to Teach History in a Culturally Responsive Way: History is complicated, but teachers can approach it by leading with truth and advocating for empathy.”
- Primary source illustration: Illustrated Political Chart, a Cartoon of American Politics and the Tapeworm Party. This print shows James G. Blaine as the head of a tapeworm made up of various government scandals over a map of the United States.
- Primary source cartoon: anti-Confederacy cartoon showing Southerner's reaction to Lincoln's determination
- “The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing” (Aesop for Children)
- Primary source cartoon, 2003: [Network sheep and war] / Ann Telnaes. “Editorial cartoon drawing shows a row of sheep labeled 'FOX,' 'CNN,' 'ABC,' 'NBC,' and 'CBS,' all following a sign directing them toward 'War'” (Library of Congress)
- Library of Congress: Strong’s Dime Caricatures (Some of Strong’s caricatures contain racist content by today’s standards. While we don’t condone this speech, this was common practice at the time for sources like these.)
- 1, Domestic troubles
- 3, South Carolina Topsey in a fix (racist content from an historical source)
- 4, “The schoolmaster abroad” at last
- Facing History & Ourselves: “The Reconstruction Era and the Fragility of Democracy.” This is a three-week unit to engage students with the post–Civil War years while utilizing primary sources and videos.