Macculloch Hall Historical Museum

Thomas Nast used many different tools and techniques to communicate his perspective on current events in his paintings and drawings. In the graphic organizer below, there are 5 tools: symbolism, labeling, irony, analogy, and caricature. The definitions are filled in for all but two. Write your own definition for irony and caricature. Your definition for caricature can come from Thomas Nast's own words about caricature in the bottom left.  Then, looking at the Palace of Tears painting, write down or draw examples of each tool or technique. 

Thomas Nast Tools and Techniques

Think about how the arts and any kind of visual medium shape memory and opinion in our  democratic society, and how that has clearly been happening for years, especially through Nast,  and how it continues today.

Wrap-Up Discussion

"The Last Ditch" depicts Union commander General Ulysses S. Grant and General Philip Sheridan on horseback in pursuit of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. Question to consider while reading about the painting: What makes political cartoons primary sources?

The Last Ditch

Click through the slide show to read more about Thomas Nast's life and accomplishments. 

Thomas Nast and the Grand Caricaturama

View Thomas Nast's black and white sketches of selected Grand Caricaturama images in a timeline of events starting in 1854-1869. The paintings represent Nast's point of view of historical events in US History. 

Question to consider: How do the arts and visual expression shape public memory in a democracy? What events does Nast include in the Grand Caricaturama? Which does he leave out? 

American Civil War and Reconstruction Timeline

In "The Palace of Tears" Nast conveys his dismay with the failed promises of Reconstruction by attacking President Andrew Johnson’s pro-South policy at the Union Convention of 1866. Nast illustrates that the convention far from a union, was rather a sellout to Southern demands during Reconstruction. Question to consider: How do political cartoons inform current events?

The Palace of Tears

Read about Thomas Nast's painting, "The Last Ditch", in Activity #4 and answer the questions below. 

The Last Ditch Discussion

This game requires students to have read through the American Civil War and Reconstruction Timeline (Activity #2). Then, read the game directions below. Using the images from the timeline in the previous activity, the moderator selects three images in the Venn Diagram. Venn diagrams are illustrations that use overlapping circles to show the similarities and differences between things. The intersection of the circles is what the things have in common, while the things on each side of the circles that do not overlap are unique. For example, the images could contain the same/different people, themes, topics, year, etc.

Timeline Apples to Oranges

Read the reviews about Thomas Nast's Grand Caricaturama from different newspapers.  Highlight phrases or words that praise the Grand Caricaturama. Circle phrases or words that are critical of the Grand Caricaturama. 

Grand Caricaturama Newspaper Reviews

Thomas Nast worked at the three most important illustrated newspapers in New York City. Nast worked for "Harper's Weekly" during the Civil War and received recognition from President Abraham Lincoln as his "best recruiting sergeant" for the Union. Through thousands of images drawn by Thomas Nast, he built readers' visual literacy. After just four years working full time at "Harper's Weekly", Thomas Nast took a break during the summer of 1867-1897 to work on his idea for  "The Grand Caricaturama", 33 large paintings presented with music and narration telling the history of the United States from Nast's perspective in live theater. Today only 8 of those paintings are known to exist.

Resource Kits

Object Library

Museums

Drawing History: History Told Through Thomas Nast Political Cartoons

Thomas Nast Tools and Techniques

Guiding Question