Life, 1887-01-06 · page 5 of 16
Life — January 6, 1887 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "Will It Be Civil War?" - Political Cartoon Analysis This satirical cartoon from *Life* magazine depicts violent civil unrest, titled "Will It Be Civil War?" with a subtitle referencing "Frightful Intelligence from Washington." The image shows street violence with multiple figures engaged in combat, destruction, and chaos in an urban setting. The accompanying text warns of societal breakdown, mentioning "small causes" spiraling into serious conflict and questioning whether the nation faces potential civil war. Without the specific date visible, this likely comments on a period of significant American political tension—possibly the 1890s labor disputes, Reconstruction era conflicts, or another moment of heightened partisan or class-based violence that threatened national stability. The cartoon uses exaggerated depictions of street violence to satirize contemporary political rhetoric about potential societal collapse.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
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