VISUAL ACTIVITY

“The Balance of Power,” 1780 This English cartoon mocks the alliance of Spain and the Netherlands with France in support of the American war. On the left, the female figure Britannia cannot be moved by all the lightweights on the right. France and Spain embrace while a Dutch boy hops on, saying, “I’ll do anything for Money.” The forlorn Indian maiden, representing America, wails, “My Ingratitude is Justly punished.”

READING THE IMAGE: What does this cartoon reveal about British perceptions of the American Revolution?

CONNECTIONS: How did British attitudes toward the colonies contribute to the British defeat in the war?

The New York Public Library/Art Resource, NY.