However, here are some contenders for the first cartoon shown publicly:
* Fantasmagorie (1908): This short French animated film, by Émile Cohl, is often cited as one of the first cartoons. It features simple animation and a surreal, imaginative storyline.
* The Humpty Dumpty Circus (1911): This American animated film, by J. Stuart Blackton, featured stop-motion animation and was one of the first to use a narrative storyline.
Before these, there were early experiments in animation, such as The Enchanted Drawing (1900) and Humorous Phases of Funny Faces (1906), but these were more like short, novelty films rather than fully-fledged cartoons.
Ultimately, the "first cartoon" is a matter of interpretation and depends on how you define "cartoon" and "show."