Humor and politics, when combined, can be a powerful force. During a war, this intersection can serve several purposes: it can offer relief from serious and disturbing events; boost morale and patriotism in the civilian population; and ridicule the inhumanity, hypocrisy, vanity, stupidity, and other foibles that may be involved in the war. The war with Mexico and the Civil War provided an impetus for humor, and much of the comedy accurately mirrored the sentiments of the people.

The Mexican War

Using a combination of caricature and captions, many of the Mexican War's political cartoons unsparingly ridiculed the enemy. A lithograph caricatured Mexican commander Santa Anna, accentuating his oversized head as he glared at the American forces. Another celebrated American optimism and hauteur by showing a man stepping across the Rio Grande River and with an enormous pair of scissors—one blade representing the regular army...