A satiric commentary on the effects of the landslide Whig victory in New York state elections in the autumn of 1838. President Van Buren (left) greets two of his defeated allies: incumbent governor William L. Marcy (center, in uniform) and Representative Churchill C. Cambreleng. Both men had the support of New York radical Democrats, or "Loco Focos." Van Buren: "Welcome old friends to me yet dear, Pray what the devil brings you here?" Marcy: "I have had leave to resign, and wish to be taken care of. If you had nothing better, I'll take the Office of Collector!" Cambreleng (wiping his eyes): "I am defeated in spite of the lamentations of the people!" Servant at the door, in a Dutch accent: "Vot rum-looking Coveys these is. I vonder Master admits them!" A portrait of Van Buren supporter Francis Preston Blair hangs on the wall of the room.|Entd . . . 1838 H.R. Robinson . . . Southn. Dist. of N.Y.|Printed & publd. by H.R. Robinson, 52 Cortlandt. St.|Title appears as it is written on the item.|Weitenkampf, p. 53.|Forms part of: American cartoon print filing series (Library of Congress)|Published in: American political prints, 1766-1876 / Bernard F. Reilly. Boston : G.K. Hall, 1991, entry 1838-12.

A satire on the Democrats' or "Loco Focos'" 1852 pursuit of Franklin Pierce for the presidential nomination. At the foot of the White Mountains in the "Dismal Swamp," an immense, swampy region of North Carolina and Virginia, Pierce is pursued by Loco Foco hunters in military uniforms. Pierce has been chased up a dead tree by either a fox (an allusion to party warhorse Martin Van Buren, perhaps) or a dog. Several hunters make their way through the water and tall grass toward him. Pierce cries, "Gentlemen don't fire! if you please I cant stand the smell of Powder! it makes me feel faint even to think of it!!" (On Pierce's reputation for fainting in combat see "The Game-Cock & the Goose," no. 1852-18.) A hunter standing on a log at left comments, "What a place to come to, find a Candidate." Another (standing at right) replies, "Well it aint such a bad spot, when the party are hard up, here's where we started that famous Poke [i.e., James K. Polk] in 44." A third hunter asks, "Ain't we got first rate men enough outside of this? I never heard of that fellow before." At far right, a man holding up a hat answers, "Thats just what we want, a Candidate, that nobody ever heard of; the people know our big men too well ever to elect any of them." A crane flies off to the right. |For sale by Nathaniel Currier at No. 2 Spruce St. N.Y.|Signed with initials: H.O.|Title appears as it is written on the item.|Weitenkampf, p. 111.|Forms part of: American cartoon print filing series (Library of Congress)|Published in: American political prints, 1766-1876 / Bernard F. Reilly. Boston : G.K. Hall, 1991, entry 1852-35.

A satire on the publisher's own troubles with the Democratic establishment in New York. In his print shop Henry R. Robinson is confronted by an unidentified man (center, arms crossed) who says, "I am determined this d---d Whig concern shall be shut up till after the Election." The man may be city surveyor and inspector Eli Moore. Robinson, standing with his back to a stove and holding a purse marked "$141," thumbs his nose and retorts, "Does Jesse Hoyt [Democratic strongman and collector of the port] know you're out?" The Custom House was the center of Democratic political control in New York. Robinson, a Whig, apparently ran afoul of the Democrats by his caricatures of Governor William L. Marcy. Marcy had recently been widely criticized for his handling of the Bamber case (see "Executive Mercy/Marcy and the Bambers," no. 1838-5). Two newsboys on the left ask, "Have you got any more of the Bamber Caricatures?" and "I want some more of your Whig Caricatures." Two men stand at the right, waiting to serve a notice of "Distress for Rent in Arrear." One of them says, "I'm afraid we sha'nt get our Rent." A shop clerk watches from behind the counter.|Drawn by "HD" (Henry Dacre?) or Edward Williams Clay.|Mention of the Bamber caricatures and recently appointed Collector Jesse Hoyt places "Loco Foco Persecution" in late 1838 or early 1839. Attribution to HD is based on the print's stylistic similarity to his "Specie Claws" (no. 1838-14), although the main figures seem to be drawn by a superior hand (possibly E.W. Clay).|Printed & publd. by H.R. Robinson, 52 Cortlandt St: 11 1/2 Wall & 38 Chatham St. N.Y.|Title appears as it is written on the item.|Weitenkampf, p. 51.|Forms part of: American cartoon print filing series (Library of Congress)|Published in: American political prints, 1766-1876 / Bernard F. Reilly. Boston : G.K. Hall, 1991, entry 1838-8.

Democratic patronage in New York is parodied in a scene of Loco Foco drivers or carmen rushing for cab licenses distributed by recently appointed collector of the port, Democratic stalwart Jesse Hoyt. Hoyt replaced former collector Samuel Swartwout, who had been friendly to Whig and conservative interests. Hoyt stands at the entrance to the Custom House, center and symbol of Tammany corruption in the city. He hands out licenses to Loco Foco drivers, who carry whips of "Old Hickory" (a reference to party patriarch Andrew Jackson). The drivers shout "Hurrah! for Van Buren" and "Loco Foco for ever!" A cart with the number 1838 and "Licensed by the Collector" stands nearby.|Printed & pubd. by H.R. Robinson, 52 Cortlandt St. 11 1/2 Wall St. & 58 Chatham st. N.Y.|Title appears as it is written on the item.|Weitenkampf, p. 53.|Forms part of: American cartoon print filing series (Library of Congress)|Published in: American political prints, 1766-1876 / Bernard F. Reilly. Boston : G.K. Hall, 1991, entry 1838-10.

Throughout this unit on Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, students practice the same six skills with greater scaffolding and modeling at the beginning, and more independence toward the middle and end. The tasks include: 1. writing to an essential question to access background knowledge; 2. using context clues and root words to determine word meaning; 3. close reading with the aid of a glossary; 4. taking notes one of two graphic organizers (sequence of events and/or empathy map); 5. re-reading to answer text dependent questions; and 6. summarizing the chapter.

This lesson uses images and the "I See...and I Wonder" strategy to get students thinking about the bigger concepts that objects might represent.  Students often see symbols as mere objects with only a face value because of the speed with which they encounter them.  However, if we can encourage students to take more time to study an object, other concepts or meanings can come to light.This lesson uses images as an entry point to symbolism because they are less threatening than literature.  The images provided are a starting place, but feel free to remix and use your own images.   

This seventh grade annotated inquiry provides students with an opportunity to explore how words affect public opinion through an examination of Harriet Beecher Stowe’s novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Students will investigate historical sources related to the novel and reactions in the North and South in order to address the compelling question, “Can words lead to war?” This query takes advantage of the mixed messages students often receive about the power of words. Students’ understanding about how words can make a difference is often grounded in discussions of words used to bully, instead of the power of words to encourage reform. This is an ANNOTATED inquiry with additional information on the questions, tasks, and sources within.