Boss Tweed: A Political Machine Toppled by a Political Cartoon

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Boss Tweed A Political Machine Toppled by a
Political Cartoon

• Starring
• William Marcy Tweed
• Thomas Nast - cartoonist

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Boss Tweed and the vote

• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vMA8hOZbP0MM
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vVHZYDbludDU

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The Flock to the Cities

• Immigrants from all over Europe came pouring into
  North Eastern cities.
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vhMkz-Mrxs-c
• With very little money, knowledge of the culture
  and language, WHO COULD THEY DEPEND ON?????

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Enter...Boss Tweed

• By 1870, he was so powerful and had so many of
  his friends (known as his "Tweed Ring" cronies)
  in political positions that he was able to pass a
  new city charter allowing him and his friends to
  control the city treasury.
• Tweed Gangs of NY
• Between 1865 and 1871, Tweed and his associates
  stole approximately 200 million from the city.

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• A growing movement was determined to expose and
  overthrow Tweed.
• Cartoonist Thomas Nast also helped spark public
  outrage against Tweed by creating wicked
  caricatures of him in Harper's Weekly magazine.

THE INFAMOUS TAMMANY TIGER!!!
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• Tweed unsuccessfully attempted to bribe Nast to
  leave him alone, but on November 19, 1873, Tweed
  was tried and convicted on charges of forgery and
  larceny.
• In the debtor's prison, he was allowed daily
  trips, accompanied by the jailer, to see his
  family. On one of these trips, in December 1875,
  he escaped and fled to Spain.

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He was a fugitive there for a year, working as a
common seaman on a Spanish ship until he was
recognized by his likeness to a Nast cartoon and
captured. He died in a debtor's prison on April
12, 1878.
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Who is Thomas Nast??

• Long considered the greatest American political
  cartoonist.
• He is most famous for his work against Boss
  Tweed
• Tweed said, My constituents cant read. But darn
  it, they can see pictures!

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Also known for

• Along with the Tammany Tiger, Nast also
• Created the Republican Elephant
• Popularized the Democratic Donkey
• Was the first to portray Santa Claus as the
  jolly, rotund, red-nosed character that is so
  familiar today.

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YOUR JOB

• Study the Thomas Nast cartoons with your
  groupmates.
• Answer the questions that follow together.
• Report back to the class your findings.