of Cartoons
Decades and Decades
Want to make a point? Sometimes drawing a cartoon is the best way to do that—especially if the cartoon is funny.
Want to make a point about politics? Draw a political cartoon.
Nast drew a
picture of himself.
A man named Thomas
Nast drew thousands
of illustrations and
cartoons in the United
States in the 1800s.
The young artist was
an emigrant from
Germany. He created
many cartoons favoring
the Union side in the
Civil War and opposing
slavery. His work
influenced elections.
You can
also thank
Mr. Nast for
creating the
Republican
elephant
and making
popular the
Democratic
donkey
symbol.
1844. A portrayal
of the 1844
presidential race.
Whig candidate
Henry Clay wins
over Democratic
opponent James K.
Polk. Do you know
which one won
in real life?
Take a journey through political cartoons gone by:
1848. This
cartoon pokes
fun at Martin
Van Buren.
Can he win
the votes of
people on
both sides of
the political
divide?
1860.
This cartoon
shows the
presidential
candidates
of 1860.
Abraham
Lincoln has
successfully
mounted a
balance
beam.
Click here to read
X
1868. This cartoon pokes
fun at Ulysses S. Grant
for supporting the
wealthy instead of
helping those who served
in the Civil War. Mr.
Grant balances on a split
rail. A pole marked “U.S.
Treasury” helps Mr. Grant
balance. The left side of
the pole spews paper
toward an injured Civil
War soldier, a sailor, and
a widow. The right side
of the pole spews gold
toward wealthy men
and foreign investors.
1912. Theodore Roosevelt
holds a club marked “legalized
monopoly.” He leads a
hallelujah “trust” chorus
singing “Control us again.”
1924. Miss Democracy”
is an elderly woman
in an old-fashioned,
full-length bathing
suit. She’s admiring
Governor Al Smith
of New York. William
Jennings Bryan warns
her to “keep away from
that big city chap.”
1928. Presidential
candidates Al Smith
and Herbert Hoover
look at a man deep in
thought. The cartoon
means: Consider the
issues. Don’t just
follow the party line.
Of course, jokes are sometimes funny . . .
and sometimes not. Sometimes they promote one group
while making fun of another. The Bible tells us to honor
our leaders, even wicked ones. The next time you spot
a political cartoon, ask: Does it give honor?
1960. The Democratic donkey and the GOP elephant appear as competing organ grinders. Each has a monkey begging for votes. The organs are actually television sets. One shows Democratic presidential candidate, John F. Kennedy. The other shows the Republican presidential candidate, Richard M. Nixon.
Today . . . 2024. This cartoon was drawn before candidate
Joe Biden dropped out of the race. It teases both presidential
candidates. In the image, Mr. Biden sets a low bar because he
did so poorly in the first debate. Donald Trump sets a “high bar”
because it would take a lot of lies to top all his alleged falsehoods.