New Map of the United States with the Additional Territories on an Improved Plan political cartoon, circa 1829
Permanent ID:
11738Call number:
Bb 612 N42Language:
EnglishDate:
1828 – 1829Image Description:
This political cartoon is historically significant for being the first American political cartoon produced using the lithographic printing process. This cartoon depicts the United States of America and its territories as a map, with mountains in the distance. On top of the map are two giant animals: an alligator (symbolizing Jacksonian Democracy), facing to the west, and a tortoise (symbolizing John Quincy Adams's Whig party), facing to the east. The alligator and tortoise are tied together at the tail. Andrew Jackson, dressed as a military general, and his supporters (one of whom holds an American flag) ride on the alligator, and two men riding the alligator's tail try to cut or untie the knotted rope connecting it to the tortoise. The tortoise wears a collar labeled "Quincy" and is ridden by John Quincy Adams (wearing a crown) and several of his supporters, one of whom, according to their speech bubbles, is Henry Clay. A person dressed as a circus performer walks the "tightrope" connecting the tortoise and alligator. In the mountains, a group of people, identified in the caption as "a Company of Winebago Indians," comment on American culture. A handwritten note on this cartoon records its date as 1828, but the Library of Congress dates it circa 1829; we have copied this date cataloging for this project.Format:
Political cartoonsDimensions:
Width: 37.5 cm, Height: 30 cmPublisher:
Collection:
Historical Society of Pennsylvania medium graphics collectionRelated People or Organizations:
Anthony Imbert, circa 1794-1834 (artist)Moloshok, Rachel (Transcribed by)
Moloshok, Rachel (Encoded by)
Anthony Imbert, circa 1794-1834 (lithographer)
Historical Society of Pennsylvania (repository)
Andrew Jackson, 1767-1845 (depicted)
John Quincy Adams, 1767-1848 (depicted)
Henry Clay, 1777-1852 (mentioned)
New-York American (mentioned)
National Advocate (mentioned)
Lithography of Imbert (publisher)