Unit 2: The Race to the White House (1ère AMC)

 Political Icons

The document under study is an article from Speakeasy News published in October 22^nd, 2024. We have learned that in 1828, during Andrew Jackson’s presidential campaign, his opponents used to call him a “Jackass” (=donkey). It was to highlight the fact that he was a stubborn and determined person. On top of that, he strongly supported the population. As a result, through this symbol, the Democrats were seen as being determined as well.

In the 1860’s, during the Civil War, the symbol of the elephant was connected to the Republican Party because an elephant was drawn in a newspaper to celebrate and illustrate the victory of the Union at the time. Moreover, the elephant used to symbolize victory and strength in wars for the soldiers.

Thomas Nast was the political cartoonist who made the elephant and the donkey popular. In fact, in the 1870s he draw a cartoon with them to represent the two political parties and their ideologies. That was how they started to be used by each political party.

To conclude, these symbols still matter today because they remind us the impact of one of the most important wars of the history of the USA. Besides, these symbols are very important nowadays because they represent the identity and the ideologies of each party.

Homework: Learn the lesson.