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.

Question

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.
A.What does the depiction of Uncle Sam as a headmaster of an orphanage suggest about his role in relation to newly acquired territories?
B.How is manifest destiny represented in the cartoon, and what significance do the arms labeled "manifest destiny" hold?
remember to restate the question, answer the qeustion provide evidence and explantion, and proofread

Answer 1

A. The depiction of Uncle Sam as the headmaster of an orphanage suggests that his role in relation to newly acquired territories is one of guardianship and responsibility. By portraying Uncle Sam as a caretaker, the cartoon implies that the United States is now responsible for nurturing and guiding these new territories—represented as "babies." This imagery conveys a sense of duty, as if the U.S. must tend to the needs of these regions, ensuring their growth and development. The presence of older children labeled Texas, New Mexico, California, and Alaska indicates that these states were previously incorporated into the nation and are now flourishing, suggesting that Uncle Sam has successfully cared for them in the past.

B. Manifest destiny is represented in the cartoon through the arms that hold the basket of new territories, which are labeled "manifest destiny." This symbolism indicates that the acquisition of these new territories—Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Cuba, and the Philippines—was seen as a natural extension of the United States’ destiny to expand across the continent and beyond. The significance of these arms is twofold: firstly, they emphasize the idea that the United States was destined to expand its influence and territory; secondly, they suggest that this expansion is not just a political or military action but also a moral obligation to care for and uplift these new territories, much like a headmaster would care for orphans. This reflects the contemporary belief in the righteousness of America's expansionist policies during the late 19th century.