Political Cartoons

I teach a unit on how history repeats itself. My class approaches The Crucible by examining the parallel between the Salem Witchcraft Trials and McCarthyism. A scaffolding activity I use is a website of Herb Block's primary source political cartoons coupled with a cartoon analysis worksheet. It is important to me that students form their own opinions about McCarthy.

The graphic organizer emphasizes symbolism, diction, tone, and message of the cartoons. Instead of lecturing about reactions to the Red Scare, I am able to give the students an opportunity to "relive" the era just as citizens did during the 1950s just by reading editorial cartoons from that time period. Students must approach the cartoons from different perspectives as they decide how different groups would respond to the message.