Guided Primary Source Analysis: Great Presidential Puzzle

15--14--13. The great presidential puzzle — Wales, James Albert. “15–14–13. The great presidential puzzle.” Illus. in: Puck, v. 7, no. 158 (1880 March 17), p. 32. Library of Congress Prints & Photographs.

Look carefully at this political cartoon. What can you determine just from the information above?

Now review the cartoon’s bibliographic record and find out about the Stalwarts and the Half-Breeds by investigating the links below. After, describe new insights you now have about this political cartoon.

The 1880 Presidential Election HarpWeek
The Half-Breeds versus the Stalwarts from Chronology of the U.S. Presidency, Volume 1
The Stalwarts & the Half-Breeds from Building a New American State

Learn about factions within the Republican Party as described by journalists and political commentators in 2014. How would you reinvent this political cartoon to represent the 2016 presidential election? Is your reinvention still applicable today? Why or why not?

“The Four Faces of the Republican Party” February 25, 2014 The National Interest March-April 2014
“Parsing the Republican Party’s three factions” March 2, 2014 The Daily Progress Charlottesville, VA
“Understanding the Obama-era Republican Party” June 16, 2014 The Washington Post Washington D.C.

What other observations, reflections or questions does this source inspire? Let us know!