In a few short weeks we’ll be wrapping up work on the Historic Images, New Technologies (HINT) Project. While working on the two year project, we’ve come across many interesting and funny political cartoons.

One of our favorites is Join, or Die. It was published by Benjamin Franklin in the Pennsylvania Gazette, and is most likely the first American political cartoon. The cartoon shows a snake cut into eight pieces and makes the point that the colonies must unite in order to defend themselves against tyranny.

A few weeks back, we shared in the blog post Hail Columbia some political cartoons we've been researching for HSP's Historic Images, New Technologies (HINT) project that feature Columbia and other female personifications of the United States. We’ve also found several cartoons that use male figures as our national symbol.

Uncle Sam is one of our most recognizable national symbols. But did you know that from the colonial period to the early 20^th century, America was most often personified by a woman? In honor of International Women's Day which was celebrated earlier this week, let's explore some of the political cartoons featured in the Historic Images, New Technologies (HINT) project that depict America as a woman.