Macculloch Hall Historical Museum

Thomas Nast, "No Rest for the Wicked- Sentenced to More Hard Labor", Harper's Weekly, December 2, 1876

Why Nast Support Cleveland: In His Own Words

Thomas Nast (1840-1902) illustrated his support for Cleveland in the campaigns of 1884 and depicted President Cleveland in political cartoons while he was in office from 1885 to 1887, when Nast left 

. Click through the images to learn more about how Nast illustrated his support for Cleveland. Think about the news article from the previous activity and how Nast's words in that interview align with the images in 

Thomas Nast Illustrates Cleveland's First Campaign- 1884

Student Engagement: Political Cartoon Analysis

This is an illustration from 1884 by political cartoonist Frank Beard (1842-1905) in which Nast is depicted. Beard pokes fun at Nast for jumping ship from the Republican Party to support Grover Cleveland. Click on the stars to learn more about the imagery used by Beard to respond to Nast's change in political allegiance. 

The Response to Nast the Mugwump

BONUS Primary Source Investigation- Thomas Nast Letter to Sarah Nast

Thomas Nast only created six cartoons in January 1887 before he parted ways with

, ending his 25-year tenure. He would again be published in 

 in 1895 creating 14 cartoons from June 15 through October 26 and then again in 1896 drawing just eight more cartoons in January and February. Nast would continue to freelance with other publications until his death in 1902, but he never achieved the popularity and influence he had at 

Click through the image to see a selection of Nast's work post

Thomas Nast: After Harper's Weekly

After completing the full resource kit, answer the questions.

Reflection and Discussion Questions

Grover Cleveland Campaign Badges, 1888, Silk, 55.111A-PP

The Three Campaigns- 1884, 1888, and 1892

Stephen Grover Cleveland (1837-1908) was the 22nd and 24th President of the United States.  He was the only President to serve non-consecutive terms (1885–1889 and 1893–1897), up until this year when President Donald Trump won the office for a second time. In 1884 Nast, along with 

 editor George Curtis, broke with the Republican Party to support the Democratic Candidate Grover Cleveland.

This Resource Kit explores Nast's illustrations in support of the first two-term President serving non-consecutive terms, his switch from a Republican to a Democrat, and Nast's waning influence as a political cartoonist. 

Educator Overview_Thomas Nast Illustrates Grover Cleveland .pdf

Illustrating Grover Cleveland Answer Key.pdf

Macculloch Hall Historical Museum Website

The 22nd and 24th President: Thomas Nast Illustrates Grover Cleveland

Civics and Government

Social Studies

U.S. History

Visual Arts

The Arts

The caption reads, “This Year Do Your Duty Like a Man,” as President Cleveland send his New-Year messenger forward with the money bag of $1 million for the Freedmen’s Bank depositors. They were waiting for their payment for 13 years after the bank failed. 

The Freedman's Bank was established after the Civil War for newly freed African Americans, including Civil War veterans, to deposit money. The bank failed in 1874. Over 60,000 people who deposited money lost their savings, totally nearly $3 million. Only about half the savings were ever reimbursed. 

This was the last political cartoon that Thomas Nast drew about Grover Cleveland for 

The caption reads, “This Year Do Your Duty Like a Man,” as President Cleveland send his New-Year messenger forward with the money bag of $1 million for the Freedmen’s Bank depositors. They were waiting for their payment for 13 years after the bank failed.

IMG_1052.jpg

The President's New-Year Messenger

 until January 1887, Nast would freelance for other publications. Throughout his career Nast worked for over 65 different publications, almost half of them were after he left 

 was in business until 1889, so these illustrations were toward the end of The Daily Graphic’s run.

This image harkens back to Nast image of, 

Beware! For He Is Very Hungry and Very Thirsty

, published in Harper’s Weekly on November 29, 1884. Nast again has Grover Cleveland dressed in a tiger’s skin more than four years after the original political cartoon was published. Cleveland this time holds a club labeled “Retaliation, Thorough and Vigorous.” Cleveland lost the election of 1888 but ran again in 1892 to win his second term.

This image harkens back to Nast image of, Beware! For He Is Very Hungry and Very Thirsty, published in Harper’s Weekly on November 29, 1884. Nast again has Grover Cleveland dressed in a tiger’s skin more than four years after the original political cartoon was published. Cleveland this time holds a club labeled “Retaliation, Thorough and Vigorous.”

IMG_1054.jpg

Master of The Situation and Intensely American

The four images on this page were also published in the booklet 

 were campaign propaganda in support of Cleveland’s re-election. Cleveland lost the election to Benjamin Harrison in 1888. Cleveland came back to defeat Harrison in the 1892 election.

The four images on this page were also published in the booklet "The President’s Message." The booklet and this image for The Daily Graphic were campaign propaganda in support of Cleveland’s re-election. Cleveland lost the election to Benjamin Harrison in 1888. Cleveland came back to defeat Harrison in the 1892 election

IMG_1053.jpg

The President's Message

The cover of the book claims that it is the “only book prepared by soldiers” and “the only illustrated campaign glee book ever published.” This book was published in 1888 for the Presidential election. Nast had already left 

 and was now illustrating for other publications. Even though he had lost his national stage, he was still expressing his political opinions through his cartoons in other sources. The book includes two Nast illustrations from Petroleum Nasby’s 1867 book “Swingin’ Round the Cirkle,” which is also the subject of the caricaturama on display in the Morristown Public Library on South Street.  

The book includes such songs as “Sweet Land of Liberty” (America) and “The Star-Spangled Banner” in the key of A. There are over 105 songs in the book as well as facts and quotations. 

The cover of the book claims that it is the “only book prepared by soldiers” and “the only illustrated campaign glee book ever published.” This book was published in 1888 for the Presidential election.

Resource Kits

Object Library

Museums

The 22nd and 24th President: Thomas Nast Illustrates Grover Cleveland

Thomas Nast: After Harper's Weekly

Guiding Question

The President's New-Year's Messenger