Homework Due:
For next class, use the George Washington Plunkett talk/interview and series of cartoons (on pages 2-3 of the document) from class to answer the question: What was the nature of Thomas Nast’s criticisms against Boss Tweed and Tammany Hall? You should analyze a few of Nast’s cartoons to support your answer.
To see a larger image of the cartoon, simply Google the title and put “Thomas Nast” at the end of the search query.
Write your answer at the bottom of this page.
Additional Resources:
n/a
Topic:
The 1890s
Daily Goal(s):
Understand the central themes of the 1890s
Lesson Plan:
Watch this film and complete the Film Analysis.
Assigned Homework:
For next time, finish watching the film and complete the Film Analysis. We stopped the film at the 40:00 mark.
haunT225 
The nature of Nast’s criticism against Boss tweed made me feel like there was allot of hate. Nast seems to be straight up calling Boss tweed out on what he has done because it is wrong. He accuses him of stealing like in document H “Tammany Ring” where the question was who stole all the peoples money and Boss Tweeds henchmen point at him. Nast’s nature against tweed was that he was a horrible guy, he was dangerous. In document I Nast draws Tweed as a vulture on a cliff waiting to catch its prey. So Nast is implying that Tweed pretty much waits for helpless people to come by so he can manipulate them and catch their votes and take their money. Nast just seemed out right disgusted with Tweed.
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When one looks at Thomas Nast’s political cartoons one can see the strong disapproval he holds towards Tweed and Tammany Hall. Nast amid to put Tweed into the light of the public to show them the kind of thief he was. In document A, “Boss Tweed as Moneybag,” Nast emphasizes Tweeds greed for money by showing the reader Tweeds portrait but replaces his head with a money bag. The money bag draws the readers attention directly to Tweeds “head,” this symbolizes that money is all Tweed will ever care for, and in a sense is the only thing he truly knows. In addition, under the portrait reads the words “the brains” this meaning that the person who has control over most things is operated by money. That money in fact takes a hold over Tweeds head, thus has all control over his actions.
Another cartoon that brings significance to Tweeds greed is document I, “Let us prey” Where Nast shows a nest of vultures with Tweed as the leader. The nest is made out of bones some are labeled with the words “justice” and “Law” these two words are especially important. Tweed knows no justice or law, for him they are dead, these laws and ideals never existed. He lives by his own law and justice. There are also two skulls that have the words “tax payer” and “rent payer” these words are meant to show that he does not pay taxes nor does he have to pay rent because he is tax and rent. Which, connects back to document A where he is a moneybag. There is also a lighting strike that is made prevalent in the cartoon, lightning can be seen as a reset button, a form of justice. The fact that the lightning never strikes Tweed or his colleges shows again that justice will never be served to the right person as long as Tweed watches has control over the system.
Tweed is the ultimate power, and until he is out of power there will be no justice, or law, instead there will be thievery, and ultimate chaos. Nast shows Tweeds true nature to the public and by doing so he shows his immense amount of disapproval and hate towards Tweed and Tammany Hall.
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Thomas Nast’s was not a huge fan of Boss Tweed and Tammany hall, he thought that he was a crook and that he was stealing from a lot of people, for example in document D their is a picture of Boss Tweed with a bag of money on his head, this is showing that he thinks that Boss Tweed only cares about money and will do anything for money, also in this document Boss Tweed looks very fat. By making him fat the picture is trying to make it look like Boss Tweed doesn’t do any physical work except steal money, this is a very meaningful picture and it shows Nast’s feeling toward Boss Tweed. In document H it shows workers from Tammany Hall and they are asking who stole money from the people and everyone is pointing to the person on their right side, this is saying that either everyone from Tammany Hall is a crook or they are not going to tell who really did it. At the end of the circle Boss Tweed is standing there and he is pointing to the man next to him but is looking off into space. Nast’s has strong feelings against Boss Tweed and his operations and he showing this in these cartoons.
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Thomas Nast disapproved of Tweed in almost every aspect possible. Nast saw him as a terrible person because of how much power he had over New York. He deemed Tweed as a person who only cared for himself, he did so in multiple cartoons. Document A shows how all of Tweeds pride went right to his head and that all he thought about was money. Document G shows him sitting among bags of money and he has the Courthouse on his head. The Courthouse on his head symbolizes a crown, it is used to symbolize a crown because he was responsible for the building of it thus giving him “power of a crown”.
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Thomas Nast’s political cartoons reflect the objection he had against Boss Tweed and Tammany Hall. Every cartoons depicted a negative image of Boss Tweed and Tammany Hall. In document E, Nast represented Tweed thumb big enough to cover New York. The size of his finger revealed how much power Tweed had over New York, but his finger is crushing down New York to show his corruptive deeds. Looking at document H, Nast’s shows how no one in the Tammany Hall accepts their corruption; they are all blaming on each other. Document G also emphasizes Tweed’s corruption. The courthouse on his head represents where he truly stole the public money. All of Nast’s political cartoons about Tweed or Tammany Hall were full g negation. Each and every elements in the cartoons are made to depict a certain aspect of their corruption. Therefore, Nast’s reveals his opinion about Tweed to the public through cartoons.
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From Thomas Nast political cartoons, it can be inferred that Thomas Nast was not fond of William Tweed and Tammany Hall’s wrong doings. Nast uses his political cartoons to show the people just how corrupt and sneaky Tweed was.
This is made clear in Document F, “That’s Whats the Matter”. In this document it can be seen evidently the words “In Counting There Is STRENGTH,” right under the voting ballot box. Next to the ballot stand is the Tammany Hall ring leader, leaning against it with a cigar/cigarette in his mouth with a hat down low covering his eyes. Also under the cartoon it says, “As long as I count the Votes, what are you going to do about it? say?” From this Nast is showing the viewers of his cartoon that Tweed is corrupt and will even wait by the ballot stand to persuade and ensure the people vote the way he would like. With his casual posture as well and the statement “what are you going to do about it?” allows for the person viewing this political cartoon to see that Tweed did not care or find what he was doing wrong and unethical. With his unworried mindset and posture another one of Nast cartoons that supports the claim that Tweed and Tammany Hall saw nothing wrong with what they were doing is Document H, “Tammany Ring”. This document allows for the someone looking at this cartoon to notice that the ring in a circle, all pointing at one another, no one taking the blame for anything. At the bottom of the image it asks, “Who stole the peoples money?” and it is answered “‘T Was Him”. In this document no one is admitting to anything and will allow for anyone else but themselves to take the fall for whatever it may be. Nast noticed what Tweed and Tammany Hall was doing at this time and created this cartoon to out him.
Another one of Nast’s political cartoons that shows his criticisms against Tweed and Tammany Hall is Document I, “The Tweed Ring: ‘Let Us Prey'”. This cartoon has various symbols like, the bones in the nest that say, Treasury, Law, Justice, or the still fleshed covered arm that says, New York. The words that are made of the bones show the people that these are things that Tweed and his fellow Tammany Hall have already taken form the people. Nast makes a point to show a freshly taken arm labeled “New York” this symbolizes his new found prey something he has not fully destroyed yet. Tweeds nest is also crumbling in the background, the rocks falling also symbolize that Tammany Hall is also crumbling under his command.
Nast critical nature represents his need to show the public the true intentions of Tweed and his beloved Tammany Hall. These cartoon shows just how corrupt Tweed was and the necessity to take him out of power.
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