The French Revolution - Political Cartoons: Napoleon

French Revolution Teacher Guide/ Activity #3: Political Cartoons Background: The era that Napoleon dominated France and Europe was also know for the continuing development of mass media – specifically newspapers. The cartoons used in this activity were all published in European newspapers in the early 19th century. They are amazing primary sources. For citation purposes, the cartoons used in this example came from the The Brown University Center for Digital Scholarship: Napoleonic Satires. Task: Students need to complete two separate tasks in this assignment: one analytical, one creative. The analysis piece involves deciphering the message of the cartoon. The symbols and events depicted in each cartoon require a solid understanding of Napoleon’s role in French history. Students should be directed to explain the symbols identified by red arrows in each of the cartoons. The creative element involves using storyboard art to create a political cartoon that 1.) tackles a current social/political/economic issue. 2.) Uses the same general approach that the French Revolution cartoon in the first and second cell uses. Refer to the example in the top row of the storyboard. Extensions: This activity can be extended in a number of ways. Students could be assigned the task of locating and analyzing current political cartoons/satires. Students could also build a storyboard collection of political cartoons or satires from each unit of study, ie Industrial Revolution, World War I etc…