Answer :
Final answer:
The political cartoons scrutinize different facets of U.S. foreign policy, including expansionism, interventionism, and the exportation of American-style democracy. Various characters and symbols, such as Uncle Sam and Columbia, are used to express the government and public perspective in these portrayals.
Explanation:
The political cartoons in question provide a graphical representation and commentary on the United States’ foreign policies and actions at various points in history. One cartoon from 1903 comments on the U.S. involvement in Panama's liberation from Colombia, which might suggest a stance on American expansionism. In depictions using characters like Uncle Sam and Columbia, political cartoons from this era often address themes of imperialism, interventionism, and national interests. For example, the cartoon where Uncle Sam and John Bull are shown stepping over words such as “Monroe Doctrine” indicate how the U.S. viewed its role in preventing European interference in the Western Hemisphere.
Uncle Sam tends to represent the U.S. government, and in various cartoons, he might be depicted in a range of roles, from a guardian to an interventionist. The term “American-style democracy” in cartoons typically refers to the U.S. attempting to export its political and economic systems to other countries. Coverage of American military interventions, as seen in Somalia, Iraq, and Afghanistan, highlight the fluctuating support for U.S. actions abroad among the American public, which is often influenced by media portrayal and perceived costs of intervention.
