Source Analysis
How useful is this source to an Historian studying the nature of Imperialism in the Early Twentieth Century?
The definition of Imperialism according to Dictionary.com is- the policy of extending the rule or authority of an empire or nation over foreign, or of acquiring and holding colonies and dependencies. The cartoon is named The Rhodes Colossus and was published by Edward Linley Sambourne on the 10th of December 1892 on the magazine Punch which is a British weekly satirical and humour magazine which was unfortunately closed down in 2002. Firstly a limitation to the source is that this cartoon is a drawing of Cecil Rhodes a British business magnate holding a line across Africa and this drawing is representing the telegraph lines he was planning to set up between Cairo and Cape Town in the late 1890's. This limitation is a pretty significant limitation, but this cartoon also can represent the nature of Imperialism in the Early 20th Century. Cecil Rhodes was a firm believer in British Colonialism, which is a more complicated word for the British Empire. Cecil Rhodes dreamed to create British Empire's in new territories for new resources and the expansion of the British Empire. Historian Richard A.McFarlane called Rhodes "as integral a participant in southern African and British imperial history", so Cecil Rhodes was basically the shadow in the British Imperialism. This cartoon is useful that it's showing a clear definition of Imperialism. As mentioned before Imperialism is the extending rule or authority of an empire in nation over foreign. Well in this cartoon it is shown by the Cecil Rhodes, he is like 10 times bigger than the size of Africa standing across with his 2 legs on each sides of the North and South Coast like his owns Africa, likes his the King of Africa. Also the artist meaning of the two lines was to show the telegraph lines but it can also show that Africa is under his control, under the British Empire. If you have someone on a leash or an animal it's under your control you can let it go or you can hold it tight. So this cartoon shows the nature of Imperialism through Cecil Rhodes position and the 2 lines his holding with his hands. Also the size of Cecil Rhodes can show the nature of Imperialism. If you just imagine the same picture but with Cecil Rhodes lying down on Africa you could observe that he would be more gigantic than Africa itself in the cartoon. One of the characteristics of Imperialism is that the more developed, stronger nation will take over the weaker nation and also the Social Darwinism how it's natural for stronger nations to take over weaker ones. Well the size of Cecil Rhodes in this cartoon shows the power and the dominance force of the British Empire and that Africa had nothing on them. Also the clouds around his face symoblises monstonous, power that his as powerful as the "gods" the British believed in and that nothing can stop him. Another limitation is that this cartoon was not exactly published on the early 20th century but more like the late 19th century.
Therefore in conclusion, I think that this source is useful with crucial and deciding limitation that this source was not created for an Imperialism source but for more for a humour, business type of a cartoon. But through this damaging limitation this source is useful for historians studying the nature of Imperialism in the Early 20th Century because this cartoon shows signs of the nature of Imperialism. The size of Cecil Rhodes shows the dominance of the British Empire and how the dominance and the power helped the British Empire to take over countries like South Africa in the African region. As Imperialism is acquiring other nations, this cartoon shows the characteristics of Imperialism as it shows the control and steadiness of Cecil Rhodes on the cartoon standing on Africa. Despite the limitation this source can be useful for historians studying the nature of Imperialism in the early 20th century.
The definition of Imperialism according to Dictionary.com is- the policy of extending the rule or authority of an empire or nation over foreign, or of acquiring and holding colonies and dependencies. The cartoon is named The Rhodes Colossus and was published by Edward Linley Sambourne on the 10th of December 1892 on the magazine Punch which is a British weekly satirical and humour magazine which was unfortunately closed down in 2002. Firstly a limitation to the source is that this cartoon is a drawing of Cecil Rhodes a British business magnate holding a line across Africa and this drawing is representing the telegraph lines he was planning to set up between Cairo and Cape Town in the late 1890's. This limitation is a pretty significant limitation, but this cartoon also can represent the nature of Imperialism in the Early 20th Century. Cecil Rhodes was a firm believer in British Colonialism, which is a more complicated word for the British Empire. Cecil Rhodes dreamed to create British Empire's in new territories for new resources and the expansion of the British Empire. Historian Richard A.McFarlane called Rhodes "as integral a participant in southern African and British imperial history", so Cecil Rhodes was basically the shadow in the British Imperialism. This cartoon is useful that it's showing a clear definition of Imperialism. As mentioned before Imperialism is the extending rule or authority of an empire in nation over foreign. Well in this cartoon it is shown by the Cecil Rhodes, he is like 10 times bigger than the size of Africa standing across with his 2 legs on each sides of the North and South Coast like his owns Africa, likes his the King of Africa. Also the artist meaning of the two lines was to show the telegraph lines but it can also show that Africa is under his control, under the British Empire. If you have someone on a leash or an animal it's under your control you can let it go or you can hold it tight. So this cartoon shows the nature of Imperialism through Cecil Rhodes position and the 2 lines his holding with his hands. Also the size of Cecil Rhodes can show the nature of Imperialism. If you just imagine the same picture but with Cecil Rhodes lying down on Africa you could observe that he would be more gigantic than Africa itself in the cartoon. One of the characteristics of Imperialism is that the more developed, stronger nation will take over the weaker nation and also the Social Darwinism how it's natural for stronger nations to take over weaker ones. Well the size of Cecil Rhodes in this cartoon shows the power and the dominance force of the British Empire and that Africa had nothing on them. Also the clouds around his face symoblises monstonous, power that his as powerful as the "gods" the British believed in and that nothing can stop him. Another limitation is that this cartoon was not exactly published on the early 20th century but more like the late 19th century.
Therefore in conclusion, I think that this source is useful with crucial and deciding limitation that this source was not created for an Imperialism source but for more for a humour, business type of a cartoon. But through this damaging limitation this source is useful for historians studying the nature of Imperialism in the Early 20th Century because this cartoon shows signs of the nature of Imperialism. The size of Cecil Rhodes shows the dominance of the British Empire and how the dominance and the power helped the British Empire to take over countries like South Africa in the African region. As Imperialism is acquiring other nations, this cartoon shows the characteristics of Imperialism as it shows the control and steadiness of Cecil Rhodes on the cartoon standing on Africa. Despite the limitation this source can be useful for historians studying the nature of Imperialism in the early 20th century.