Uncle Sam's Temptation
6/26/1898
In this cartoon, John Bull, personifying British imperialism, suggests a change of diet as Uncle Sam is served a bowl of anti-annexation broth. The cartoonist was commenting on British efforts to persuade the United States to keep, as colonies, the territories gained in the war with Spain.
This cartoon was printed the day after U.S. forces fought their first land combat in Cuba, and soon after Admiral George Dewey’s victory over the Spanish navy at Manila Bay in the Philippines. Would the U.S. adopt England’s empire-building ways, abandoning the Monroe Doctrine and America’s traditional resistance to owning colonies? Would the U.S. fight for Cuban liberty, but reject the opportunity to seize the island? The bloodshed in Cuba, along with the recent naval victory in the Philippines, fueled public concern about America’s future course. Would victory tip the scales toward America’s owning colonies or would Uncle Sam resist temptation?
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.
Rights: Public Domain, Free of Known Copyright Restrictions. Learn more on our privacy and legal page.
