Well begun is half done (1899)

This map was published by Judge magazine during the American expansionism of the late 19th century.

In 1899, a year had passed since the United States' victory over Spain, which resulted in the acquisition of Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines. This had boosted President William McKinley's popularity.

The illustration, with a strong propaganda message, shows all of America's possessions with a flag. In the centre, McKinley is seen rolling up his sleeves to begin work on the Nicaragua Canal. On the right-hand side, next to the White House, Uncle Sam can also be seen fully supporting the president's actions.

At the bottom, there is a text in which Uncle Sam appears to be pushing McKinley to finish the Nicaragua Canal and, in doing so, consolidate the territorial expansion of the United States. The president had already created a national commission a year earlier to assess the feasibility of the project, which would ultimately be shelved and discarded shortly thereafter.

Sources

• A thing well begun is half done.