Thomas Nast
Come eat lunch with the Father of the American Cartoon!
Influential Political Cartoonist
Thomas Nast used his images to help remove William Marcy "Boss" Tweed and his peers from power. Tweed ran the Democratic Party in New York. He attempted to bribe Nast into leaving town, but it was him who eventually fled the country to avoid prosecution.
The Elephant and the Donkey
Thomas Nast is responsible for creating the elephant and the donkey cartoon that we still use today. The elephant is supposed to symbolize the Republican party while the donkey is associated with the Democratic party.
"Compromise with the South"
Thomas Nast was a fierce supporter for the Union cause. He used allegory and melodrama in his cartoons to support the cause he believed was right. In his picture "Compromise with the South," Columbia is weeping at the grave of "Union Heroes in a Useless War" as a worn out Union amputee shakes the hand of a neatly groomed Southern soldier. It was said that the picture brought him "instant fame" and helped the Republicans in their efforts to have Lincoln re-elected in 1864.
why is thomas nast so important?
Thomas Nast was a very important figure during this time. He created something as simple as a drawing and was able to persuade a whole country to go for or against a person or cause. He was a very convincing man and used his talent of creating cartoons to his advantage. Not many people can say they've done that before.