THOMAS NAST
1
840-1 902
Thomas Nast was not a native-born
American. He was Bavarian by bifth, and was
brought to this country by his mother when he
was sixyears old. The decade in which young
Nast came to the United States is the same
one in which thousands of Swedes and Germans left the Old World for the New Land.
These immigrants came for a number of reasons--more political freedom, a chance to
participate in a democratic society, and the
failure of crops in Northern Europe. These
parlicular immigrants were characterized by
Thomas Nast's Famous Cartoon
a high level Of education, arlistiC Skills, and
About the "Tammany Tiger"
liberal political sentiments.
As Thomas Nast grew into manhood, he showed exceptional talent in drawing and
was soon working for Frank Leslie's lttustrated Newspaper. This publication consisted of a
large number of sketch drawings; the technique of transferring photos to newspaper print
had not yet been develoPed.
Nast's big break came when he was employed by the country's most widely
distributed publication , Harper's Weekty. Nast's powerful cartoons on behalf of the North
crystallized public opinion to such a degree that the Lincoln government owed some of its
ability to survive to Nast's talent. Nast, as were most people of German descent in America
during the Civil War, was strongly pro-Union.
Nast continued to support the Republican party after the war and offered powerful
supportto U.S. Grant in the presidential campaign of 1B72. ln thatyear, the opposition
candidate was Horace Greeley, and Nast found it easy to ridicule this unusual candidate for
the presidency.
Nast seems to have been quite selective in much of his cartooning, however. While
he might overlook corruption within his favorite political pafty, he could quickly spot it in the
camp of an enemy.
This was especially true in his treatment of the Grant administration. Time aftertime,
Nast blithely skipped over proven evidence of malfeasance in office. Yet, in the case of
"Boss" Tweed, another corrupt leader, Nast never gave up until Tweed was destroyed.
"Boss" Tweed was the corrupt leader of Tammany Hall, the Democratic Pafty
organization of New York City. Week after week, month after month, Nast attacked Tweed
so diligently that when Tweed tried to escape by ship, he was soon recognized because of
Nast's cartoons.
Thomas Nast is responsible for another interesting contribution to American life.
Nast's Santa Claus sketches, always printed in Harper's Weekly at Christmas time, did
much to firm up a public conception of that mythic character. ln truth, much of the way in
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which Christmas is celebrated throughout the world is of American origin. The Reverend
Clement Moore's famous poem of the "jolly old elf," Nast's sketchesl and a surprising
numberof Christmascarolsare partof America's contributionstothe Christmascelebration-.
From time to time, Nast attempted to do more serious drawing and painting, without
much success. He also published an almanac for some time. He wis a consul-general in
Ecuador when he died.
Questions for Research
Thomas Nast was the first famous American caftoonist. Here are the last names of more
recent ones: Fitzpatrick, Low, Herblock, and Mauldin. Can you find samples of their work
and evidences of their parlicular political leanings?
1
.
2' Almost every standard history textbook contains some samples of work by Thomas Nast.
Can you find some of these and analyze them for the source of their influence upon
American thought?
3. The German immigrants brought over many skills with them. Look up the following names
and check on their origin: Carl Schurz, Joseph Pulitzer, and Adolph Ochs. Why were they
important?
Readings
Mott, F. L.
A History of American Magazines, 1741-lggs
Mott, F. L.
American Journalism: A History of Newspapers in the U. S.
Train, A. C.
Tassels on Her Boots
This is a work of fiction about the Tweed gang.
TIME LINE
THE
GREAT GERMAN
MIGRATION
18+O
GRANT ERA
+
SCANDALS
1
869
1877
,ii
NAST'S FAMOUS
TWEED RING
CARTOON
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Name:
Class:
HISTORICAL FACTS
____
2. During this same decade thousands of ______
1.
Thomas Nast was brought to this country f rom
at age six.
__ and
migrated to this country.
3. They came to this country for a number of reasohs,
_____
_______,
and
4. These people were characterized by a
and
sentiments.
5. Nast showed exceptional talent in drawing, and was soon working for
6. He then went to workforthe country's mostwidely distributed publication,
7. Nast, as were most of the people of German descent, was strongly _______
during the Civil War.
8. He suppofied
in the presidential campaign of 1872.The
opposition candidate was Horace Greeley.
9. The corrupt
leader,
_____," was destroyed parlly because
of Nast's caftoons.
10.
Nast's
___ sketches, always printed in Harper's Weekly
at Christmas time, did much to firm up a public conception of that mythic character.
11. He also published an
for some time.
12. Thomas Nast's famous cartoon about the
"
hit hard at the Democratic Party organization of New York City.
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I
Date:
Name:
Thomas Nast
Use the information in the biography to help you answer the questions on the
following page. Place the answers to the crossword clues in the puzzle below.
@Mark Twain Media, lnc., Publishers
89
Thomas Nast--Crossword Clues
3.
ACROSS
During the Civil War, Nast and most
German-Americans were strongly
2.
----
4.
7.
drawing
Nast worked for ___
--_,
powerful cartoons on behalf of the
North during the Civil War.
10. Nast was a ___ by bit1h, and was
brought to America by his mother at
5.
6.
8.
-:=]--IIIIIIIIIII
DOWN
1. Nast first worked
for
L
lllustrated
Newspaper.
Nast never gave up until "_-- *--" was
destroyed.
Nast overlooked the wrongdoing in the
___ administration.
Nast supported the ___ Pafty after the
war.
Party
Tammany Hall was the
--_
organization in New York City.
sketches helped to
establish that mythic character as a
part of Christmas.
Nast's famous cartoon about the corrupt political machine in New York City.
Nast's
Name:
Date:
Thomas Nast
Unscramble the words below. They are all associated with this hero in some way.
Scrambled List
Unscrambled List
1.
PTUOIRONCR
2. IGNCESHWARSKDT
3. IIVAWLRC
4. ACANLMA
5. WSODTSEEB
6. ATCUALNSSA
7. SGNIMIIARM
8. RNTCOOA
9. NIRONUOP
10. RGASTUN
11. THAALYAMLMN
12. COEGEREALERYH
Word List
SKETCH DRAWINGS
CIVIL WAR
US GRANT
TAMMANY HALL
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CARTOON
PRO UNION
CORRUPTION
SANTA CLAUS
90
IMMIGRANTS
HORACE GREELEY
BOSS TWEED
ALMANAC