page_title: Cultural depictions of elephants
section_title: In America
hierarchical_section_title: Cultural depictions of elephants / Politics and secular society / In America
caption_attribution_description: "The Third-Term Panic", by Thomas Nast, originally published in en:Harper's Magazine 7 November 1874. English: A braying ass, in a lion's coat, and "N.Y. Herald" collar, frightening animals in the forest: a giraffe ("N. Y. Tribune"), a unicorn ("N. Y. Times"), and an owl ("N. Y. World"); an ostrich, its head buried, represents "Temperance". An elephant, "The Republican Vote", stands near broken planks (Inflation, Repudiation, Home Rule, and Re-construction). Under the elephant, a pit labeled "Southern Claims. Chaos. Rum." A fox ("Democratic Party") has its forepaws on the plank "Reform. (Tammany. K.K.)" The title refers to U.S. Grant's possible bid for a third presidential term. This possibility was criticized by N.Y. Herald owner and editor James Gordon Bennett, Jr.Français&#160;: L'âne déguisé en lion (représentant The New York Times), marqué du césarisme, met en fuite les autres animaux de la forêt&#160;: la girafe (New York Tribune), la licorne (New York Herald), l'autruche (la modération)... Le renard (symbolisant le parti démocrate), se cache dans les fourrés et tient sous ses pattes une planche marquée Reform (Tammany' K. K.) (demandant la réforme du Tammany Hall). L'éléphant, symbole du vote républicain semble briser sous ses pieds les autres planches de la politique permettant de combler l'abîme entre le Nord et le Sud (Re-construction, Inflation, Repudiation). La caricature fait référence à la possibilité pour le président Grant de briguer un troisième mandat, alors que James Gordon Bennett, Jr., critiquait cette idée et ses conséquences.
context_page_description: Elephants have been depicted in mythology, symbolism and popular culture. They are both revered in religion and respected for their prowess in war. They also have negative connotations such as being a symbol for an unnecessary burden. Ever since the Stone Age, when elephants were represented by ancient petroglyphs and cave art, they have been portrayed in various forms of art, including pictures, sculptures, music, film, and even architecture.
context_section_description: The elephant as the symbol for the Republican Party of the United States originated in an 1874 political cartoon of an Asian elephant by Thomas Nast in Harper's Weekly.  This cartoon, titled "Third Term Panic", is a parody of Aesop's fable, "The Ass in the Lion's Skin".  It depicts an elephant (labelled The Republican Vote) running toward a chasm of chaos; frightening a jackass in a lion's skin (labelled Caesarism) which scatters animals representing various interests.  Although Nast used the elephant seven more times to represent the "Republican Vote", he did not use it to represent the Republican Party until March 1884 in "The Sacred Elephant".
caption: 1874 Thomas Nast cartoon featuring the first notable appearance of the Republican Party's elephant.[38]
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