by Helen Kampion

The donkey and elephant take long represented the Democratic and Republican Parties. Simply how did they choose them? Did they spend months deliberating? Was a law passed? Was there a public vote? Really neither party set out to find an icon. The acceptance of these symbols grew out of negative comments and political cartoons. Hither'due south how it happened.

Democrats

The Democratic Party's first association with the donkey came near during the 1828 campaign of Democrat Andrew Jackson. Running on a populist platform (by the people, for the people) and using a slogan of "Let the People Rule," Jackson's opponents referred to him as a jackass (ass). Much to their chagrin, Jackson incorporated the jackass into his campaign posters. During Jackson's presidency the donkey was used to symbolize his stubbornness by his opponents.

Later Andrew Jackson left role, political cartoonists furthered the Democrat and ass connexion. An 1837 cartoon depicted Jackson leading a donkey which refused to follow, portraying that Democrats would not be led by the previous president.

The addiction of associating the ass and the Democratic Political party had begun.

Republicans

The earliest connectedness of the elephant to the Republican Political party was an illustration in an 1864 Abraham Lincoln presidential campaign newspaper, Father Abraham. Information technology showed an elephant holding a imprint and celebrating Union victories. During the Civil War, "seeing the elephant" was slang for engaging in combat so the elephant was a logical option to represent successful battles.

The elephant appeared once more in an 1872 issue of Harper's Weekly where it depicted Liberal Republicans.

For whatever reason, political cartoonists and the public did not all the same associate the elephant with the Republican Party.

THOMAS NAST, Political Cartoonist

Thomas Nast is widely credited with perpetuating the donkey and elephant equally symbols for the Democratic and Republican Parties. Nast first used the donkey in an 1870 event of Harper's Weekly to represent an anti-war faction with whom he disagreed and in 1871, he used the elephant to alert Republicans that their intra-party fighting was detrimental to the upcoming elections.

ThirdTermPanicbyThomasNastHowever, it was his 1874 Harper'south Weekly cartoon entitled "Third Term Panic" (pictured at correct) that solidified the employ of symbols.

Republican Ulysses Grant had been president for two terms and was contemplating a third (it wasn't until 1951 when the 22nd Amendment limited presidents to two terms). The drawing depicted a donkey wearing a king of beasts's skin emblazoned with the words "Caesarism" (an undemocratic attempt to wield purple power) frightening away an elephant wearing the words, "Republican Vote." After this cartoon appeared, Nast used the elephant once again and once more to correspond the "Republican Vote." Eventually the "Vote" barbarous away and the elephant and Republican Party became synonymous.

It'southward amazing to think that an insult, a war phrase, and dry humor influenced the symbols which came to stand for two of the most powerful political parties in the world.

Below are two additional cartoons that include the donkey and elephant created by Thomas Nast, both of which were featured on the cover of Harper's Weekly.

DoubleThomasNast

Read More

  • Read more about Thomas Nast, take a look at a portfolio of his cartoons, and review questions in the teacher'southward guide on the Cartoons website created by the Ohio Land University Libraries at: cartoons.osu.edu/digital_albums/thomasnast/.
  • Our first ii presidents, George Washington and John Adams, both adamantly opposed the development of political parties. Yet, our nation's starting time two political parties—the Federalist Party and the Republican Party—were both formed during Washington's 2nd term. Learn all most the ascension of political parties in America and how they have inverse over the years in "Choosing Sides: The Rise of Party Politics."
  • Find more information about all our nation'southward political parties by checking out the "Links for National Political Parties."
  • Not all our presidents take been a Democrat or a Republican! Discover the political party affiliation of each of our nation's presidents, including which presidents were Whigs, in "The Presidential Fact Files."

Discussion Questions for Immature People at Dwelling house and in the Classroom

  • What positive and negative traits do donkeys have?
  • What positive and negative traits do elephants have?
  • Do y'all think the donkey and elephant were the all-time choices to represent the Democratic and Republican Parties? Why? Why not? What animals would you lot have picked and why?
  • What kind of animate being best represents you? Why?
  • Exercise you think political cartoons influence readers? How so?
  • Would a drawing change your mind or but brand you enlightened of the other side of an issue?
  • Are political cartoons a good utilize of Freedom of Speech?

Activities for Immature People at Home and in the Classroom

  • Enquiry how the Democratic and Republican Parties came to be. The starting time political political party called themselves Federalists. Visit your local library to learn more than and as well read "Choosing Sides: The Rise of Political party Politics." Discuss the post-obit questions: Why was the first party called the Federalists? What did they stand up for? What political party came next? What did they stand for? What did this side by side political party modify their name to? What happened to the Federalists later on the War of 1812? Who became the Whigs?
  • How did the Republican Party get the name M Quondam Party?
  • What are the differences betwixt our current Autonomous and Republican Parties?
  • How many of our Presidents were Democrats? How many of our Presidents were Republicans?
  • Separate the grade into two groups-Democrats and Republicans. Accept each group research their political party to determine the basic platforms and the names and dates of their party's presidents. Have each group present its party'southward cadre beliefs. As a form, draw a time line of our presidents, identifying each political party. Take we had more than Autonomous or Republican presidents?
  • Our nation has had other political parties in our history. What were they? Did they have mascots or symbols to represent them? Do you think the symbols were accurate?
  • Divide the class into 3 groups and give them a century to research (1800, 1900, and 2000). Identify each party, what it stood for, if it had a mascot, and how that mascot reflected the party's beliefs.
  • Elephants are native to Asia and Africa and donkeys were brought hither by explorers. Have the grade study animals that were native to America in the 1800s and come up up with two that all-time represent the Democrats and Republicans. Discuss why each was chosen and how its characteristics reflect the Autonomous and Republican Parties.

Reference Sources

Books

Anderson, Dale. The Republican Party: The Story of the Grand Onetime Party. Minneapolis: Point Books: Compass Point Books, 2006.

Paine, Albert Bigelow. Thomas Nast: His Period and His Pictures . Charleston: Nabu Press, 2010.

Sabato, Larry and Howard R. Ernst. Encyclopedia of American Political Parties and Elections. New York: Checkmark Books, 2007.

Sperber, Hans and Travis Trittschuh. American Political Term: An Historical Dictionary . Detroit: Wayne Land University Printing, 1969.

Wayne, Stephen J., et al. Disharmonize and Consensus in American Politics . Stamford: Cenage Learning, 2008.

Online Resources

Adler, John. HarpWeek. 2008. 5 August 2012.
http://elections.harpweek.com/1864/cartoon-1864-Medium.asp?UniqueID=4&Year=

Kennedy, Robert C. NYTimes. 2001. 5 August 2012.
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/full general/onthisday/harp/1107.html

©2016 by Helen Kampion; The National Children's Book and Literacy Brotherhood