Uncle Sam Cartoon Analysis

The cartoon depicts a baby that is meant to be Canada standing on its own with an older woman commonly known as ‘Mother Britannia’, who is meant to represent the British Empire. There is also an older gentlemen that is commonly known as ‘Uncle Sam’, which is a common national personification of the American government or the United States in general. The text underneath the cartoon has the women saying “See, the dear child can stand alone!”, while ‘Uncle Sam’ says “Of course he can! Let go of him Granny; if he falls I’ll catch him!” The cartoon depicts how Canada was becoming more and more independent, and while England believes Canada is ready enough to be independent. The United States of America on the other hand, believes that Canada …show more content…
They came to North America for the fur trade that was abundant in Canada with our Beaver especially. After failing to obtain French support on their terms, they went to England in 1665 and interested Prince Rupert, cousin of Charles II. They then went back to North America in 1668, and the royal charter was declared 2 years later under the name The “Governor and Company of Adventurers of England trading into Hudson Bay”. They were granted wide power including exclusive trading rights in the territory traversed by rivers flowing into Hudson Bay. This land later became known as Rupert’s Land. They would later struggle to keep control of Rupert’s with the French, but they ceased control by 1763. By the 1850’s Canada had started to expand, and saw to the annex of the Northwest. The Hudson Bay Company then promoted the rumor that Rupert’s land was barren wasteland, unfit for human settlement, but by 1863 the International Financial Society bought controlling interest in the HBC, signaling a shift in the company’s outlook: most of the new shareholders were less interested in the fur trade than in real estate speculation. The Hudson's Bay Company was prepared to sell to the Americans who would pay top dollar, but the British government made it clear it wanted the territory to be sold to Canada They then sold the land to the Dominion of Canada in 1870 …show more content…
With the newly acquired Rupert’s Land they could make money from trading, but they would need to negotiate with the First Nations of the area first. George Brown, editor of The Globe and a Father of Confederation, described it as "the vast and fertile territory which is our birthright - and which no power on earth can prevent us occupying.” The expansion was necessary for the prosperity and growth of Canada at the time and the Americans knew this and attempted to buy Rupert’s Land from the Hudson Bay Company for top