Torn Loose!
4/17/1898
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This cartoon was published the day after a Senate resolution recognized the independence of Cuba from Spanish rule. It depicts an armed Uncle Sam charging from the Capitol, carrying a note reading “Maine Affair.” The note refers to the explosion of the American battleship USS Maine in the harbor of Havana, an event that triggered demands for U.S. involvement in Cuba’s long-running struggle for independence.
Spain’s tactics in its war with Cuba had disturbed many Americans. When rebels attacked Cuban sugar plantations, Spanish General Valeriano Weyler responded by herding civilians into concentration camps. Although President Grover Cleveland proclaimed U.S. neutrality, sensation-driven newspapers called for war. In 1897, newly elected President William McKinley cautioned patience, but the explosion of the Maine shattered U.S. relations with Spain and led to a declaration of war on April 25, 1898.
This cartoon was drawn by Clifford Berryman, one of Washington, DC's best-known cartoonists in the early to mid-1900s. Berryman drew for the Washington Post and Evening Star newspapers. His cartoons touched on a variety of subjects including politics, elections, and both World Wars.
This cartoon is featured in America and the World: Foreign Affairs in Political Cartoons, 1898–1940, a free PDF book from the Center for Legislative Archives at the National Archives.
Spain’s tactics in its war with Cuba had disturbed many Americans. When rebels attacked Cuban sugar plantations, Spanish General Valeriano Weyler responded by herding civilians into concentration camps. Although President Grover Cleveland proclaimed U.S. neutrality, sensation-driven newspapers called for war. In 1897, newly elected President William McKinley cautioned patience, but the explosion of the Maine shattered U.S. relations with Spain and led to a declaration of war on April 25, 1898.
This cartoon was drawn by Clifford Berryman, one of Washington, DC's best-known cartoonists in the early to mid-1900s. Berryman drew for the Washington Post and Evening Star newspapers. His cartoons touched on a variety of subjects including politics, elections, and both World Wars.
This cartoon is featured in America and the World: Foreign Affairs in Political Cartoons, 1898–1940, a free PDF book from the Center for Legislative Archives at the National Archives.
This primary source comes from the Records of the U.S. Senate.
National Archives Identifier: 306119
Full Citation: Torn Loose!; 4/17/1898; Berryman Political Cartoon, 1896-1949; Records of the U.S. Senate, Record Group 46; National Archives Building, Washington DC 20408. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/torn-loose, May 9, 2024]Rights: Public Domain, Free of Known Copyright Restrictions. Learn more on our privacy and legal page.