A year and a half since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, life is finally starting to return to normal in the United States. This is thanks chiefly to vaccines that are free—and widely available—for most Americans. Yet around the world, billions of people in low-income countries still lack access to vaccines.
To try to correct this, President Joe Biden has pledged that the U.S. will donate 500 million vaccine doses to other countries. It is America’s goal, he said this past spring, “to lead the world . . . with the power of our example.”
This cartoon featuring the Statue of Liberty comments on that power. The statue, which has traditionally represented freedoms found in the U.S., is a worldwide symbol of hope for people seeking a better life. Note how the cartoonist has changed key features of the statue, including the things it holds. Study the cartoon, then answer the questions.
1. Given what the Statue of Liberty represents, why did the cartoonist use it here?
2. Describe the changes to the torch and crown. What do the changes symbolize?
3. What does the object on the horizon behind the statue represent?
4. What message is being sent by the cartoon and its title, “Beacon to the World”?