Judge — November 26, 1898 — page 1: what you’re looking at

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# "Uncle Sam Is a Man of Strong Features" This November 1898 *Judge* cartoon uses anatomical satire to critique American imperialism. The central figure is Uncle Sam's head, dissected to reveal his internal composition: various ethnic or national groups fill the cranial cavity (labeled regions appear to reference different territories), while smaller caricatured figures ride atop his head like passengers. The satirical point seems to be that Uncle Sam—representing America—is literally constructed from or "filled with" diverse peoples and colonial possessions, particularly following the Spanish-American War (1898) and American acquisition of territories like the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico. The caption's irony undercuts American confidence: Uncle Sam's "strong features" are satirized as grotesque, overstuffed, and unstable—questioning whether imperial expansion actually strengthens the nation.