The Cold War in Political Cartoons, 1946 - 1963

Summary

Students analyze political cartoons from the Cold War Era to learn about five important issues and to understand the relationship of the United States to the world in this era of fundamental changes in foreign policy.

Rationale

During the Cold War, the United States took on a new level of responsibility for defending the Free World. New global responsibilities and emerging rivalries abroad presented unprecedented opportunities and dangers, while domestic subversion threatened to undercut American institutions and values, and technological developments unleashed ever more deadly weapons. Political cartoons from a major daily newspaper show the concerns of the era as they were experienced by the public.

About the Artists

This lesson features political cartoons that highlight critical moments in history and key constitutional principles. The Center for Legislative Archives maintains approximately 2,400 original pen-and-ink drawings by cartoonists Clifford K. Berryman and his son, Jim Berryman, in the U.S. Senate Collection.

Clifford and Jim Berryman were among Washington's best-known and most-admired graphic political commentators from 1898 to 1965. Clifford K. Berryman drew for the Washington Post from 1890 until 1907, and then for the Evening Star from 1907 until his death in 1949. His son, Jim, joined the Evening Star in 1935 and drew for the paper until his retirement in 1965, winning a Pulitzer Prize in 1950. Berryman cartoons touched on a variety of subjects including politics, Presidential and congressional elections, both World Wars, and even Washington weather.

Guiding Question

What types and sources of anxiety related to American foreign policy during the period of the Cold War from 1946 — 1963, and how was that anxiety reflected in political cartoons?

Materials

5 Graphic Organizers
15 Primary Source Sheets
1 Reflect Questions Worksheet

Grade Levels

9 – 12

Time Required

Two 45 minute class periods

Courses

U.S. History

Learning Activities

In-person Instructions:

Preparing the Materials

1. Print for each student copies of the Graphic Organizers for Stations 1 - 5 and the Reflection Questions.
2. Establish five stations.
3. Make one additional copy of each Graphic Organizer for each station.
4. Make one copy of the Primary Source Sheets and cut along the dotted lines of each sheet. Keep each primary source, caption, and description together with a paperclip.
5. Place a copy of each Graphic Organizer and the corresponding cut-out Primary Source Sheets at each station. Mix up the primary sources, captions, and descriptions at the station so that students must match the documents, captions, and descriptions.

Classroom Activity

1. Divide the students into five groups.
2. Carousel the groups through the five stations.
3. Provide each group with enough time at each station for students to:
   1. Match each primary source to the caption and description.
   2. Respond in writing to the prompts on their individual copies of the Graphic Organizer for each station.

Reflection Activity

1. When the students have completed their work at all five stations, instruct the students to work independently to complete the Reflection Questions Worksheet and prepare to share their responses with the full class.
2. Have a whole group discussion of the reflection questions.

Distance Learning Instructions:

Make the Graphic Organizers and Primary Source Sheets available to the students in digital form. Separate the documents into five station-specific groups to insure that the students know which documents go together. Clarify for the students that the learning activities and documents are organized as stations on the lesson materials and that work in the lesson will be completed one station at a time.

1. Divide the class into five groups.
2. Assign one group to begin work at each of the five stations. Instruct the students to work collaboratively to respond in writing to the prompts on the Graphic Organizer for each of the five stations.

Reflection Activity

1. When the students have completed their work at all five stations, instruct the students to work independently to complete the Reflection Questions Worksheet and prepare to share their responses with the full class.
2. When the groups of students have completed the reflection questions, convene a whole class discussion of the review questions.

Additional Resources

Did you like this lesson? Educators who used this lesson also viewed:

• Reviewing Major Topics in U.S. History from 1940 – 1963 with Political Cartoons - Students analyze political cartoons by Clifford and Jim Berryman to review seven major topics in U.S. History from 1940 to 1963.

• From the Cold War to Camp David: Reviewing U.S. Foreign Policy in Post-World War II Era (1948 – 1979) - Students analyze primary source documents to review four major topics in U.S. History from 1948 - 1979.

Return to Lesson Plans

If you have problems viewing this page, please contact legislative.archives@nara.gov.