America

Guided Primary Source Analysis: Illustrating America

Zoom into the selected section of the primary source shown above. Look closely at the details and answer the questions below. What do you see? What is happening in this scene? How do you feel when you look at this scene? What do you wonder about? Now look at the complete primary source and answer the questions below….

Guided Primary Source Analysis: Grandma’s Toilet

Guided Primary Source Analysis: Grandma’s Toilet

The title of this print is “Grandma’s Toilet”. Zoom into this artwork and use details from the image to figure out what toilet meant in this time (1893) and context. After, look up different definitions of toilet. What can you infer, or figure out, about the relationship between the young girl and the older woman? Use…

Footrace, Pennsylvania Avenue

Guided Primary Source Analysis: Footrace, Pennsylvania Avenue

According to the summary of this political cartoon, who were the three candidates for president in 1844? What was the president’s salary at this time? What is the president’s salary now? According to the cartoon summary, who is the favored contender? What details in the cartoon—positioning, symbols, text labels—support this view? Use the Primary Source Nexus search…

Guided Primary Source Analysis: Afro-American Monument

Guided Primary Source Analysis: Afro-American Monument

There are two Revolutionary War heroes depicted on this print who experienced very different outcomes. Who were the two men and what happened to each in the war? Review the 13 scenes related to Afro-American history on this lithograph. Which scene speaks most powerfully to you? Explain the reasoning for your choice. What person or event…

The free population of the United States enjoying the refreshing shade of the tree of liberty

Guided Primary Source Analysis: Tree of Liberty

Click here to save and download this primary source in .pdf format. Open up the document and use the magnification dropdown to look carefully at the political cartoon; if you are having trouble reading the text, use the transcription provided in the summary above. The illustration shows both northern and southern points of view. What…