The symbol of the elephant for the Republican party first appeared in a cartoon by Thomas Nast. In the cartoon, the Democratic party was depicted as a donkey in lion’s clothing to represent them as fear mongers. In the same cartoon, the Republican party is depicted as an elephant running towards a pit labeled chaos and inflation. The reason Nast chose an elephant is unclear but it is speculated that it embodies a large, powerful creature that is dangerously careless when frightened. It could also be interpreted to refer to the saying “seeing the elephant” a reference to war and possible a reminder of the Union victory. The Republican party eventually adopted the elephant as their official symbol.
Works Cited
Stamp, Jimmy. "Political Animals: Republican Elephants and Democratic Donkeys." Smithsonian. N.p., 23 Oct. 2012. Web. 14 Nov. 2015. <http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/political-animals-republican-elephants-and-democratic-donkeys-89241754/?no-ist>.
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