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Primary sourcePaintingc. 1838-1839

Specie Claws

H. R. Robinson · c. 1838-1839

A satirical lithograph attacking the economic distress of the Panic of 1837 caused by Van Buren's monetary policies.

This cartoon depicts Van Buren as the target of public anger over the economic depression during his presidency.

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Satirical lithograph. A seated man with an empty plate on a bare table; a woman holds a baby; children stand nearby; a top-hatted man at the doorway holds a 'Distress Warrant' notice. Speech bubbles and the title 'Specie Claws' appear.
H. R. Robinson (publisher), Specie Claws, c. 1838-1839. Library of Congress.

About this source

What it is

This is a political cartoon published by H. R. Robinson around 1838–1839. It shows a family suffering hardship: a man at a bare table with an empty plate, a woman holding a baby, children nearby, and a top-hatted figure delivering a 'Distress Warrant.' It is held by the Library of Congress.

Why it matters

The cartoon was made to criticize President Martin Van Buren's specie and Independent Treasury policies during the severe economic depression that followed the Panic of 1837. It shows how ordinary Americans and political opponents blamed Van Buren for the human suffering caused by the crisis.

Look closer

  • What details in the picture show hardship or poverty?
  • Why might the artist use a family scene instead of economic charts to make a political point?
  • What does the 'Distress Warrant' suggest about who the cartoonist blames?

This painting is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Martin Van Buren on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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