Question

Write in a 6th graders response

Marbury v. Madison / Cartoon Analysis
Observe judicial referees and football field ( how they expect us to stop them?


1. What people and objects are shown? Make a list of what you see in the cartoon including
captions.
2. Which of the items on the list from Question 1 are symbols? What does each symbol stand for?
© 2020 Street Law, Inc. Last updated: 07/28/2020
LandmarkCases.org Marbury v. Madison / Cartoon Analysis
3. What is the setting?
4. Are there any objects or people that seem to be exaggerated? If so, why do you think the
artist exaggerated?
Reflect
5. What is happening in this image?
Evaluate the Message
6. In your opinion, what is the cartoonist’s message? What elements of the cartoon give you
that impression?
7. Do you agree with the point of view and message of the cartoonist? Why or why not?
Question
8. What do you still wonder about?

Answer 1

Here are answers written like a 6th grader for the cartoon about Marbury v. Madison with judges as referees on a football field.

1. What people and objects are shown? Make a list.
- Judges wearing black robes and referee shirts
- A referee whistle and flags
- A football field with yard lines
- Players who might be labeled “Congress” and “President”
- A scoreboard or sign that says “Marbury v. Madison”
- A rule book or a big paper that might say “Constitution” or “Law”
- Spectators in the stands (maybe labeled “the people”)
- A caption that says something like “How do you expect us to stop them?”

2. Which of the items are symbols? What does each symbol stand for?
- Judges/referees: stand for the Supreme Court or the judicial branch
- Whistle and flags: stand for the Court’s power to call fouls or stop actions (judicial review)
- Football field: stands for the struggle or competition between branches of government
- Players labeled “Congress” and “President”: stand for the other branches of government (legislative and executive)
- Rule book/Constitution: stands for the law the Court uses to decide cases
- Spectators: stand for the American people watching what the government does

3. What is the setting?
- The setting is a football field during a game. It looks like the Supreme Court is refereeing a big game between the president and Congress.

4. Are there any objects or people that seem to be exaggerated? If so, why?
- The judges might be drawn bigger than the players. That makes them look powerful.
- The whistle, flags, or Constitution might be drawn big to show their importance.
- The players might look smaller to show the cartoonist thinks the court’s job is very strong and important.

5. What is happening in this image?
- The judges (referees) are stopping the players (President and Congress). They are calling a play or throwing a flag. The cartoon shows the Court using its power to check what the other branches are doing.

6. In your opinion, what is the cartoonist’s message? What elements give that impression?
- Message: The Supreme Court acts like a referee and can stop the president or Congress if they break the Constitution.
- Clues: judges are referees, they have a whistle and flags, the rule book/Constitution is shown, and the caption asks how they expect the judges to stop the others. All of this shows the Court has the power to decide what is allowed.

7. Do you agree with the point of view and message of the cartoonist? Why or why not?
- Yes, I agree. The Constitution gives the courts the job of saying what laws agree with the Constitution. That is like a referee calling fouls so the game is fair. It is important because it helps keep one branch from getting too powerful.

8. What do you still wonder about?
- I wonder how the Court decided Marbury v. Madison at first.
- I wonder what happened after the Court used this power many times.
- I wonder how people back then felt about the Court becoming a referee for the government.