| Thomas Nast and his Times |
Famous Civil War era cartoonist Thomas Nast was born in Landau, Germany on September 27,
1840 to a politically radical musician father. The family emigrated to New York. Young Thomas
found it difficult adjusting to a new language and to school in America. At 12, he left public school
for art school, but he had to quit art school at age fifteen and seek employment. Nast was determined
to work for Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper and when he was turned down, he waited for the
time, slipped past a secretary and marched into Leslie's office. Leslie flippantly sent Nast on
"assignment" at the Christopher Street Ferry house in lower Manhattan during the rush hour to draw
a picture of the crowd boarding the ferry. Nast stunned him when he returned early the next day
with a brilliant drawing, and Thomas Nast was hired. He stayed with Leslie's for a few years.
1840 to a politically radical musician father. The family emigrated to New York. Young Thomas
found it difficult adjusting to a new language and to school in America. At 12, he left public school
for art school, but he had to quit art school at age fifteen and seek employment. Nast was determined
to work for Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper and when he was turned down, he waited for the
time, slipped past a secretary and marched into Leslie's office. Leslie flippantly sent Nast on
"assignment" at the Christopher Street Ferry house in lower Manhattan during the rush hour to draw
a picture of the crowd boarding the ferry. Nast stunned him when he returned early the next day
with a brilliant drawing, and Thomas Nast was hired. He stayed with Leslie's for a few years.
| When Nast was a young man of eighteen, Abraham Lincoln was uttering the words: "A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure permanently half slave and half free." It was the year of the Lincoln Douglass debates and the nation was plugged in to what was about to happen. |
One of the issues the magazine Harper's Weekly brought to the attention of the American public in
1858, and one which surely caught Nast's eye, was their stand supporting the immigrants' cause
when other major publications of the day were siding with the State Department's non-interventionist
policy. Every native born German from most of the many German States became liable at birth for
mandatory military duty in his native State. German law did not permit Germans to become citizens
of other nations. This posed a problem for German immigrants and subsequently for the American
government. The government's response initially was that they had no control or jurisdiction over
this, a foreign policy, and although there was no distinction between native-born and naturalized
citizens within the United States, a naturalized citizen may still have legal obligations if he returns to
his native land.
One of the reasons President James Madison had declared war on Britain in 1812 was in response to
the impressment of American citizens into the British Navy. Many German immigrant groups were
alarmed at this issue. Nast himself could not have returned to his birthplace for a visit. Harper's
Weekly bravely urged the Buchanan administration or Congress to place an embargo on German
imports until U.S. citizenship was recognized in the German states. Harper's grew more and more
assertive over the issue.
Secretary Cass reversed the State Department's policy. The specific case involved Christian Ernst,
who had emigrated from Hanover when he was 10 years old. In February 1858, he became a United
States citizen, and the next month took a visit to Hanover, where he was conscripted into the
Hanover army, his family and business left behind to suffer in the United States. Cass sent a dispatch
on July 8, 1859 demanding Ernst's release, and the Hanoverian government complied. By doing this,
the law of the land on this issue became clear: naturalized citizens had "all the rights, privileges, and
immunities which belong to a native-born citizen, in their full extent ... both at home and abroad."
Nast admired Harper's prestige and influence.
1858, and one which surely caught Nast's eye, was their stand supporting the immigrants' cause
when other major publications of the day were siding with the State Department's non-interventionist
policy. Every native born German from most of the many German States became liable at birth for
mandatory military duty in his native State. German law did not permit Germans to become citizens
of other nations. This posed a problem for German immigrants and subsequently for the American
government. The government's response initially was that they had no control or jurisdiction over
this, a foreign policy, and although there was no distinction between native-born and naturalized
citizens within the United States, a naturalized citizen may still have legal obligations if he returns to
his native land.
One of the reasons President James Madison had declared war on Britain in 1812 was in response to
the impressment of American citizens into the British Navy. Many German immigrant groups were
alarmed at this issue. Nast himself could not have returned to his birthplace for a visit. Harper's
Weekly bravely urged the Buchanan administration or Congress to place an embargo on German
imports until U.S. citizenship was recognized in the German states. Harper's grew more and more
assertive over the issue.
Secretary Cass reversed the State Department's policy. The specific case involved Christian Ernst,
who had emigrated from Hanover when he was 10 years old. In February 1858, he became a United
States citizen, and the next month took a visit to Hanover, where he was conscripted into the
Hanover army, his family and business left behind to suffer in the United States. Cass sent a dispatch
on July 8, 1859 demanding Ernst's release, and the Hanoverian government complied. By doing this,
the law of the land on this issue became clear: naturalized citizens had "all the rights, privileges, and
immunities which belong to a native-born citizen, in their full extent ... both at home and abroad."
Nast admired Harper's prestige and influence.
Nast obtain a full-time position with Harper's Weekly in 1862. His cartoons
reflected his disgust at slavery, and during the Civil War they were a dynamic
and profound influence on the nation. Nast did 55 engravings for Harper's
between 1862 and 1865. He gained wide recognition. After the war, he plunged
into the political spectrum and enjoyed distorting and exaggerating the physical
traits of his subjects, and his work inspired the development of political
caricature.
reflected his disgust at slavery, and during the Civil War they were a dynamic
and profound influence on the nation. Nast did 55 engravings for Harper's
between 1862 and 1865. He gained wide recognition. After the war, he plunged
into the political spectrum and enjoyed distorting and exaggerating the physical
traits of his subjects, and his work inspired the development of political
caricature.
Thomas Nast is also credited with creating our popular image of Santa Claus.
His Santa illustrations appeared in Harper's Weekly in the 1860s and brought a
more Germanic Christmas to America. Nast produce 76 Christmas engravings.
Christmas had been observed in Europe for centuries on December 6. When
Nast's Santa Claus gained popularity, Christmas Day was legally established as
December 25 in the United States.
His Santa illustrations appeared in Harper's Weekly in the 1860s and brought a
more Germanic Christmas to America. Nast produce 76 Christmas engravings.
Christmas had been observed in Europe for centuries on December 6. When
Nast's Santa Claus gained popularity, Christmas Day was legally established as
December 25 in the United States.
In September 1869, Nast took on William Tweed, a corrupt political leader of
New York City, and his cartoon campaign in Harper's resulted in the magazine
losing valuable city contracts. Nast was even offered a bribe of $500,000 to end
his haranguing but Nast refused and eventually Tweed was arrested and
imprisoned for corruption. "I don't give a straw for newspaper articles," Tweed
had said of Nast, "Most of my voters can't read. But they can't help seeing them
damned pictures."
New York City, and his cartoon campaign in Harper's resulted in the magazine
losing valuable city contracts. Nast was even offered a bribe of $500,000 to end
his haranguing but Nast refused and eventually Tweed was arrested and
imprisoned for corruption. "I don't give a straw for newspaper articles," Tweed
had said of Nast, "Most of my voters can't read. But they can't help seeing them
damned pictures."
An 1872 Nast cartoon. The cartoonist's caption: "Can the law reach him? - The Dwarf and the Thief."
Nast brought the Civil War to life for millions of people all over the world, and his work is probably
the greatest representation of the thoughts and feelings of his era.
the greatest representation of the thoughts and feelings of his era.
He had a disagreement with the owners of Harper's and quit in
1886 to start his own journal, Nast's Weekly, but it failed and he
was left with heavy debts. Combined with other bad
investments, he got into severe financial trouble. Nast's cartoon
work began to dry up and in 1902, but he was helped out by
President Theodore Roosevelt who appointed him as the
American consul in Ecuador. Nast died from yellow fever on
December 7, 1902.
1886 to start his own journal, Nast's Weekly, but it failed and he
was left with heavy debts. Combined with other bad
investments, he got into severe financial trouble. Nast's cartoon
work began to dry up and in 1902, but he was helped out by
President Theodore Roosevelt who appointed him as the
American consul in Ecuador. Nast died from yellow fever on
December 7, 1902.
The old fortress was reinforced. In 1789, the French Revolution
spread into Landau, and a Liberty column and Guillotine were
erected at the parade ground, renamed “place de légalité.” It
went from France to the Habsburgs, briefly, until it was put under
Bavarian control in 1816. Heavy bombing by the Allies in 1944
and 1945 destroyed 40 per cent of the old town
spread into Landau, and a Liberty column and Guillotine were
erected at the parade ground, renamed “place de légalité.” It
went from France to the Habsburgs, briefly, until it was put under
Bavarian control in 1816. Heavy bombing by the Allies in 1944
and 1945 destroyed 40 per cent of the old town
Nast attacked both democrats and republicans, and at one time or another belonged to both parties.
He later went after trade unions, the Catholic church and a variety of other issues not popular as
themes or as diplomatic to assail, and by the 1880s Nast lost some popularity.
He later went after trade unions, the Catholic church and a variety of other issues not popular as
themes or as diplomatic to assail, and by the 1880s Nast lost some popularity.
Nast's birthplace was Landau in the Pfalz, first mentioned in 1268. In 1274, King Rudolph bestowed
market and municipal rights upon Landau, and in 1291, it was elevated to the rank of city. In 1324,
Ludwig the Bavarian passed it to the Bishop of Speyer under whose control it remained until 1511.
It was passed back and forth to various factions, and in brutality and misery of the Thirty Years
War, the number of inhabitants dropped from 2,500 to 1,500. Since then, there was constant friction
with the French. The city was rebuilt after it was burned down in 1689, and new buildings and
straight roads were designed around 1700.
market and municipal rights upon Landau, and in 1291, it was elevated to the rank of city. In 1324,
Ludwig the Bavarian passed it to the Bishop of Speyer under whose control it remained until 1511.
It was passed back and forth to various factions, and in brutality and misery of the Thirty Years
War, the number of inhabitants dropped from 2,500 to 1,500. Since then, there was constant friction
with the French. The city was rebuilt after it was burned down in 1689, and new buildings and
straight roads were designed around 1700.
He also originated the idea in America of using animals to represent political parties, and it is due to
Nast that a donkey and an elephant became the symbols of the democrats and republicans, and that
Uncle Sam became representative of the American nation.
Nast that a donkey and an elephant became the symbols of the democrats and republicans, and that
Uncle Sam became representative of the American nation.
Thomas Nast couldn't read/ He suffered from a learning disability. He had to rely on
others to read for him, at first family members and, after he became wealthy, scholars
who were hired to read the great books to him.
others to read for him, at first family members and, after he became wealthy, scholars
who were hired to read the great books to him.