taught the entire thing in like one class
Good Hope School
S3 History
Introduction: National Symbols
This handout contains a list of common national symbols and characters featured in political cartoons
and propaganda materials. While you are not required to memorize the names, meanings, and historical
backgrounds of all the symbols in detail, you are nevertheless encouraged to familiarize yourself with
these symbols to ensure better understanding of historical sources.
naval power
1. Britain powerful
❖ Britannia
● National personification of Britain Bria
[ ● A goddess-like figure with a helmet, holding a
-
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x memorize
trident and a shield
● The name Britannia, came from the Ancient
Roman Province of Britannia.
fat
❖ John Bull he's
● National personification of Britain (sometimes
England)
● Often depicted as a middle-aged man with a hat and a
tailcoat, typical appearance of a middle-class man in
Britain at the time
● Commonly found in political cartoons ?
fat
fat !
❖ Bulldog national animals
❖ The Lion Lion represent Britain
❖ Flower:
England: Rose (Tudor Rose)
flowers
national
❖ The Union flag / jack tgt
combined
flags
>
● In use since 1707, with slight modifications in 1801
● The combination of the Flag of England (Saint George’s cross); Scotland (Saint
Andrew’s cross) in 1707 and Ireland (Saint Patrick’s cross) in 1801
France
she
represents
2. France somehow
❖ Marianne f
of liberty
-Goddess
● The national personification of France
● Personification of the French revolutionary ideals: Liberty, equality, fraternity
● Goddess of Liberty
named Gaul be4
france was
❖ The Gallic Rooster
💀
💀
• An ancient symbol since Ancient Rome
• The word for a rooster (Gallus) and a person from Gaul (Gallus), the ancient name for
France, was the same
❖ Frog (Derogatory)
● Often used in political cartoons in an ironic or sarcastic fashion
● Frog has been eaten in France for centuries
● Thus the frog became a stereotypical image of the French
❖ The tricolor
● The national flag of France
● Adopted by the French Revolution
● Representation of the revolutionary ideals of Liberty (Blue); Equality (White);
Fraternity (Red)
❖ The cockade of France
● A revolutionary symbol and ornament, composed of the three colours of the
French Revolution (tricolour)
❖ The Fleur-de-lis
● A medieval symbol of France
● Symbol of ancien regime France (pre-1789)
● Largely fell out of use since the Revolution in 1789
3. Germany
❖ Germania
● The national personification of Germany
● Commonly used since the 1848 Revolution, as a symbol of German
nationalism
❖ Bundesadler (Federal Eagle), formally the Reichsadler (Imperial Eagle)
red
gold
,
Black,
● Formally known as the Reichsadler, the Imperial Eagle
● Used by the Holy Roman Empire, the predecessor of the German state
❖ National colours of Germany (Schwarz-Rot-Gold)
● The colour of black, red, and gold
● Widely used since the Revolution of 1848 as a representation of a
democratic Germany
❖ The Fatherland Flag
• Flag of the German Empire
• Used as one of the official flags by Nazi Germany
• Right-wing symbol of Germany
❖ The Pickelhaube or Pickelhelm (Spiked helmet) – (From Prussia)
● A helmet commonly worn by Prussian (and subsequently German) soldiers,
police officers
● Became a stereotypical imagery of Germans
4. Russia
❖ The Russian tricolor
● Used by the Russian Empire
● Pan-Slavism
❖ The double-headed eagle
• A symbol of the Tsardom of Russia and the subsequent Russian Empire
• A symbol of Russia’s succession of the Byzantine Empire (Eastern Roman Empire
since the 15th century
❖ The Bear
● Often considered as the national animal of Russia
● Stereotypical image of Russian might: powerful, fierce, brutal, large
5. Austria-Hungary
❖ The Eagle (Austria)
● Widely adapted as the symbol of Austria since
the Austrian Empire
● Imperial coat of arms of the Austrian Empire
● Still used as the coat of arms of the modern
Republic of Austria
❖ The Holy Crown of Hungary
● A coronation crown used by the
Kingdom of Hungary since the 12th
century
● Used as a symbol of the Hungarian
monarch since the Middle Ages
❖ The flags of Austria and Hungary
6. Italy
The Italian wolf
at
tool
● Symbol of Ancient Rome
● Related to the legendary myth of the founding of Rome:
● Romulus and Remus, the founder of the city of Rome, raised by
a shewolf
Italia Turrita
goddess
random
ther
allo
• National personification of Italy
Stella d'Italia
● Star of Italy
● Five-pointed white star
● Symbolism of the evening star of the West (Italian Peninsula)
Bonus: Other countries
1. USA
Uncle Sam
• A popular representation of the US
government since the late 19th century
• Often depicted in posters, propagandas,
and political cartoons
Bald Eagle
• National bird of the US since 1782
• Appears on the seal of the US government,
as well as in logos, badges, stamps, coins.
• Often featured in political cartoons,
propaganda, and posters
Columbia
• Female personification of the US nation
2. Japan
Rising Sun
• Since the name Japan was commonly
interpreted as ‘land of the rising sun’ in
English, the image of a rising sun is often
used to represent Japan
• The image of the rising sun is also one of
the traditional cultural symbols of the
Japanese nation
Soldier in military uniform
• Japan’s victory over the Russians in the
Russo-Japanese war surprised many in the West, who perceived Japan as the weaker power.
• It is therefore common to find Japan depicted as a short yet intimidating soldier in Western
political cartoons and propaganda
• The rise of militarism in Japan in the 1930s
3. China
Dragon
• Traditional and mythical creature in Chinese folklore
Manchurian official
• Now obsolete: common depiction of Chinese people and China during before the early 20th
century
• Gradually became obsolete after the early 20th century as the Qing Empire was replaced by a
republic
• Often seen as an offensive depiction of Chinese people and thus rarely used after the mid 20th
century
