Teaching the Spread of Nineteenth Century “Free Trade” with Cartoons

Whenever I taught an economics-intensive lesson, I jokingly introduced it by announcing, “Back by popular demand, it’s time for everyone’s favorite topic: economics!” Even in a classroom filled with many students whose parents worked in finance, economic history rarely excited students. There were always a handful of students who loved economic topics, but most were happier analyzing paintings. Given these tendencies, I often tried to teach economic topics using historical images. The AP World History requires students to learn about “Western European countries… abandoning mercantilism and adopting free trade policies.” Teaching this topic is surprisingly fun using two political cartoons.

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