The Caricature of Alfred
McCoy of the American ERA
1900-1941
Who is Alfred McCoy?
● Alfred “Al” William McCoy is an American
historian and educator.(He was born at June 8, 1945)
● He is the Fred Harvey Harrington Professor of
History at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
● He specializes in the history of the Philippines,foreign policy of the United
States, European colonization of Southeast Asia, illegal drug trade, and Central
Intelligence Agency covert operations.
Political cartoons and caricature are a rather recent art form, which veered away from the
classical art by exaggerating human features and poking fun at its subjects. Cartoon became an
effective tool of publicizing opinions through heavy use of symbolism, which is different from a
verbose written editorial and opinion pieces.
Alfred McCoy, together with Alfred Roces, compiled political cartoons published in
newspaper dailies and periodicals in his book Philippine Cartoons: Political Caricature of the
American Era (1900 – 1941)
Image 1
• Depicts the first of Manila's periodic police
scandals during the American era
• The cartoonist, Fernando Amorsolo, gives the
illustration of his usual racist edge, e.g. Chinese
men are usually caricatured for they are
described as corruptors or opium smugglers.
Image 2
• The cartoon's caption, "New Bird of Prey" is
an allusion to the most famous libel case in
the history of Philippine Journalism.
• It illustrated the fate of a local newspaper
publication after an editorial attacking a
high ranking official in the Philippine
Commission (Closure of the paper and
selling of its assets due to libel case).
Image 3
• The editorial below, the cartoon urged the
government to confiscate the large priest’s
residence attached to Santa Cruz parish
church. People are congested at the Plaza
Goiti and Plaza Santa Cruz while the single
priest sits in a sprawling residence.
Image 4
• Handing control of the Board of Health to
Filipinos, a public health risk!
Image 5
• It is a mocking editorial about authorizing
active and retired legislators to bear
firearms. Sarcastically, the Manila Press
went outraged. They stated that those
people in authority must then be respected!
Image 6
• The Free press denounces the proliferation
of illegal taxis called COLORUMS.
With automobiles crowded into Manila's narrow
streets and authorities failure to take necessary
actions, the Free press had some gloomy thoughts.
With the proliferation of illegal PUVS and Taxis
(Colorums), fatal accidents were expected to rise
on that year.
Image 7
• Manila sinks into a miasma of corruption,
vice and mismanagement.
• Political Thuggery escalates members of the
Council running for re-election mobilize the
city's gangsters to coerce voters
• The editorial pointed out that the gangster
or terrorist carries more political influence
than an honest man.
Image 8
• Agrarian Issues in the
Philippines got worsen
Image 9
• When PNB (Philippine National Bank) began
to collapse, it was forced to tighten its
credit operations. Then, the sugar planters
Negros protested. Banks, due to the
financial stringency, turn a deaf to all the
appeals.
Image 10
• Brother's under the skin- urges Filipinos to end social
conflict and deal with each other fairly.
• The Devil's brood - the tenant farmers in Pangasinan
have protested their treatment and dock and sugar mill
workers in Western Visayas have mounted a general
strike, the largest in Philippine History.
• A Sovietized Philippines- the Socialist Party leader
Perdo Abad Santos stated " If it were possible for the
Soviet Union to intervene in the Philippines, such
intervention, I am sure, would be welcomed by the
working class"
• Law and Order Democracy's Greatest Bulwark-
supports a recent speech on the floor of the Assemble
by representative Fausto F. Gonzales-Sioco attacking
the rampant crime, political assassination and
communist class agitation in his home province.
Group members:
End Aquino, Brian Bhoriv B.
Boñon, Benz Kyle T.
Guiaz, Marck Justine P.
Mijares, Vincent
