State Historical Society of Iowa

"Watch Your Step," 1914

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Courtesy of Library of Congress, Rogers, W.A., "Watch Your Step," 1914

Description

When World War I broke out in 1914, the US mainly watched on the sidelines. The Monroe Doctrine of 1823 had sought to separate the US and Europe, stating any intervention in the affairs of the Americas as a hostile act toward the United States. Further the Roosevelt Corollary in 1903 had deepened this separation militarily. However, economically the US had continued and deepened its trade with Europe, especially Great Britain which was the United States closest trading partner at the time. Finally, the US was in the midst of an economic recession and the outbreak of war in Europe created feelings of unease.

This political cartoon shows a depiction of Uncle Sam, a symbol for the United States, sitting on a rock with the words "strict neutrality" written on the side. Beneath the rock is a circle of bayonets surrounding the rock.

Source Dependent Questions

  • What was the cartoonist's perspective about US involvement in WWI? How did the historical context influence this perspective?
  • What visual imagery did the cartoonist use to illustrate the difficulty of maintaining strict neutrality?
  • What evidence does this source provide for why the U.S. hesitated to get involved in World War I?

Citation Information

Rogers, W.A., "Watch Your Step," 1914. Courtesy of Library of Congress Courtesy of Library of Congress

State Historical Society of Iowa

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