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Thomas Nast (1840-1902) was a political cartoonist for Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper (1855-1859) and staff artist of Harper's Weekly (1862-1886). A biting satirist, he popularized many stereotypes and images of the Gilded Age, such as the Republican elephant, the Democratic donkey, and Santa Claus. From 1869 to 1872 he used the power of his published cartoons to attack the corrupt administration of New York City boss William Marcy Tweed (1823-1878) and was largely responsible for Boss Tweed's downfall.

Nast was also suspicious of Irish Catholics and helped perpetuate the notion that they were the bane of American society. In this cartoon for Harper's, he depicted an intractable and uncooperative Irish boy whose schoolteacher has confiscated his rum and weapons, items often associated with Ireland during this period. Note that Nast filled the schoolhouse with popular images of American virtue, such as the U.S. Constitution...