Political Cartoon #1- The American Rattlesnake

1. Interpret the cartoon. What historical event/issue is being represented?

The carton entitled “The American Rattle Snake” by James Gillray was published in April 1782 while peace negotiations had begun between the British forces and American rebels. The snake is demonstrating the confidence the Americans had over the British by boasting, "Two British Armies I have thus Burgoyn'd, And room for more I've got behind.", while the sign held by the tail reads, "An Apartment to Lett for Military Gentlemen." As this appeared in the London newspapers it encouraged the ending of the war due to the surrender of General Burgoyne's forces at Saratoga, New York, in1777, and General Cornwallis's at Yorktown, Virginia, in 1781.

2. What is the message that the cartoonist is trying to convey? Which side of the issue does he support?

The message the cartoonist is trying to convey is that it suggests the futility of further British efforts to suppress forcibly the Americans. The metaphor of the snake represents the tactic of guerrilla warfare the Americans used fighting the British. Rather than fighting in the traditional European style of facing each other in battle the American troops would surround the British leaving them helpless to defend such an attack. Gillray clearly supports the ending of the war on the behalf of the British since the odds are against them.

3. What effect(s) did this cartoon have on American History? What were the results of this issue being addressed?

The results from the issue of the needed ending of the American Revolution addressed in “The American Rattle Snake” was that although the Treaty of Paris was not signed ending the war until 1783 it showed the British realization of the inevitable results of defeat.