Historical Era:
Date Created:
Year Created: 1899
Historical Theme:
Categories of Documents:
Victor Gillam's 1899 cartoon critiques the imperialist concept of the same name by depicting John Bull (Britain) and Uncle Sam (U.S.) as they struggle to carry baskets filled with caricatured non-white peoples up a steep hill. Uncle Sam's basket figures represent newly acquired or influenced U.S. territories like Cuba and the Philippines, while John Bull's include British colonial interests such as India and Egypt. The cartoon mocks the notion that Western expansion was a benevolent act, instead highlighting the perceived burden and the often racist portrayals of colonized populations. It underscores the hypocrisy of "civilizing missions" that entailed brutal subjugation.
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