Group+B+3-C-1+Workspace

= Home > Learning Activity 3-C-1: Immigration Cartoons > Group B 3-C-1 Workspace=

Resources
Daniels, Roger. "Immigration." //Encyclopedia of American Foreign Policy//. Ed. Richard Dean Burns, Alexander DeConde, and Fredrik Logevall. 2nd ed. Vol. 2. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2002. //Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context//. Web. 1 Feb. 2012.

Work Area
We have chosen the //Welcome to All// and the //Where Both Platforms Agree// as our two cartoons to compare.

Kirsten, I am going to post a Venn diagram with some similarities and differences that I noticed. Check it out and add anything you'd like. Then, resave it to the page. Chris said we may have several Venn diagrams on the page. We will only have to indicate which is our "final copy." Ray

Kirsten, The Venn diagram I posted includes the fact that //Welcome to All// portrays America wanting immigrants while //Where Both Platforms Agree// shows the American goverment trying to keep Chinese immigrants out of the country. I also thought the sign posted below the entry ramp chose to place more emphasis on certain words. For example, the sign rea **NO** OPPRESSIVE **TAXES**. There definitely seems to be more of an emphasis on "no taxes" while "oppressive" is almost an afterthought. This leads me to believe that America really wants these immigrants to come into the country. What do you think? Ray

Ray, On the //Welcome to All// I added a comment about the capitalization of LUNCH in the list for free items. I think they really wanted to attract immigrants; however, the phrase is generally //No Free Lunch// so I wonder if that isn't a ironic comment. Another thing I noticed were the storm clouds that were gathering behind the immigrants. It seems as though trouble is headed their way, but they can avoid the trouble if they get on the ark (notice the sun shining behind it). On the //Where Both Platforms Agree// (I think playforms is a typo), the "no vote, no use" to either party really emphasizes the political implications of immigrants, not the ideals of our country. I will post my additions on the wiki in a bit. I am looking for more similarities. Kirsten

Ray, I started doing a little research (since I know so little of that time) and I found a nice article on it in //Encyclopedia of American Foreign Policy//. Although Fillmore ran for President in 1856 with a platform that insisted he "had no hostility to foreigners" and "would open wide the gates and invite the oppressed of every land to our happy country, excluding only the pauper and the criminal," the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 revealed that the attitude toward immigration, especially Chinese immigration, had changed. The article mentions that in 1876, "both national party platforms had anti-Chinese planks." In 1882, Congress passed a law that suspended Chinese labor immigrants for a ten year period. I will post the citation to this article in the resource section. So the cartoons really reflected the broad spectrum of feelings about immigration. While the country knew it still needed people (producing the //Welcome to All//), it was unwilling for those people to be Chinese (hence the //Where Both Platforms Agree).//

Kristen, I agree with your point about the storm clouds in //Welcome to All//. I also noticed the words "war" and what looks like "distress" in the midst of the storm clouds. I think the clouds are symbolizing the "storms of life." Once again, this shows how the cartoon seems to show that America wants immigrants to come to her shores. My next point may be over-analysis or not. I noticed how those storm clouds are heading towards the immigrants. The winds would be carrying the storm. However, the American flag on the ship is blowing in the direction of the storm. This could symbolize the fact that America is stronger than the storms chasing the immigrants. If they make it to America they will be protected from those "storms of life." I think that the Chinese man in //Where Both Playforms Agree// is symbolic of something worse. I took a close look at his head and face and I see the features of a snake. He has a pointed tongue and his teeth (two "fangs") are sharp. His ponytail also looks like a snake's tail. The artist is making the Chinese look like an evil serpent, like Satan in Genesis. This cartoon portrays the Chinese as deceitful and full of evil. Ray

Kristen, I added one final note to the Venn diagram and I will post the final copy. If there is anything you would like to add, go ahead and I'll check it out tomorrow. The detail that I added is a similarity between the two. I think that both cartoons portray the US as being powerful enought to stop or protect its people from unwanted problems. //Welcome to All// seems to reassure immigrants that America can protect them from the problems they are used to dealing with. //Where Both Playforms Agree// shows politicians "protecting" America and its citizens from the dangers of Chinese citizens. Ray

Wow! it is interesting to see how collaboration works. Your Venn has went from one stage to another all because the two of you worked on its development. Collaboration is a vital learning tool. Great job with detailed conversation during this assignment. Chris.