226 ChaPTer 9 | expansionism: part 1 | period Four 18 0 0 –1848Summary of the Cartoon by the Library of Congress
A parody of Democratic politics in the months preceding the party’s 1848
national convention.... [T]he artist ridicules the rivalry within the party between
Free Soil or antislavery interests, which upheld the Wilmot Proviso, and regular,
conservative Democrats or “Hunkers.” The “Gilpins”... are regular Democrats
Lewis Cass, Thomas Hart Benton, and Levi Woodbury, who ride a giant sow
down “Salt River Lane” away from the “Head Quarters of the Northern Democ-
racy,” which displays a Liberty cap and a flag (“Wilmot Proviso”).
Cass, a former general and avid expansionist, wears a military uniform and
brandishes a sword “Annexation.”
Martin Van Buren (right), a Free Soil Democrat, tries to restrain the pig by
holding its tail. He remarks, “This is our last hope. If the tail draws out, they are
gone for good.”
A man at left tries to block the pig’s passage shouting, “Stop, stop, Old Hun-
kers! here’s the house!”
Cass orders, “Clear the road. Don’t you see that we are fulfilling our manifest
destiny!”
Benton asserts, “We are not a whit inclined to tarry there.”
On the far right, a stout gentleman chases after them calling, “Hey! hey, there!
where upon airth are you going? Come back here to your quarters!”
Meanwhile, former president and Free Soil contender Martin Van Buren is
neck-deep in a pool at the lower right. He laments, “Had I served my country
with half the zeal with which I served my illustrious predecessor, I should not
thus have slumped in the mud.” He refers to his service under Andrew Jackson,
whom he succeeded as president.P raCTICIng historical Thinking
Identify: Describe the characterization of the presidents in this image.
Analyze: According to this image, how much power does the president have to
restrict the spread of slavery?
Evaluate: Based on this image and your knowledge of the era, determine the
power of Congress to legislate for or against slavery during this time period.aPPlyIng aP® historical Thinking Skills
sKill review Appropriate Use of Relevant Historical
Evidence, Causation, and SynthesisUse the nine documents above, your textbook, and your classroom notes to answer the
following prompt:10_STA_2012_ch9_213-234.indd 226 23/03/15 5:33 PM