Democrats or Republicans? The United States decides on Tuesday whether Kamala Harris or Donald Trump will enter the White House, at the end of a campaign of incredible tension, undecided until the last minute. The opportunity to return to the history of these two parties and their symbols.
In the United States, the political landscape consists primarily of two parties. The Democrats, represented by Kamala Harris in this US presidential election, considered progressive, focused on social equality, economic justice and the protection of civil rights. On the other hand, the Republicans, represented by Donald Trump, associated with a conservative vision, a nationalist approach to foreign policy, and a more rigid position on social issues such as abortion.
Where does the Democratic Party come from?
The Democratic Party has deep historical roots dating back to the late 18th century, but it truly took shape in the early 19th century. Initially founded on the idea of defending the rights of white farmers and workers in the 19th century under Andrew Jackson, it has become a major player in progressive politics in the 20th and 21st centuries, committed to social and economic reforms, rights civic rights, and the defense of social and economic equality.
Where does the Republican Party come from?
The Republican Party was founded in 1854 in response to the expansion of slavery into the new American territories. It was born from a coalition of groups opposed to slavery, abolitionists, conservatives. Over the decades, the principles of these parties tend to be reversed. These two parties respectively have their totem animal. If the donkey is the symbol of the Democrats, the elephant is that of the Republicans. For what ?
The donkey, symbol of the democrats
The donkey was first used in a derogatory manner by opponents of Andrew Jackson, the 7th President of the United States (1829-1837). Due to his tenacious and populist character, his enemies called him a “jackass”, a term that denoted someone who was stubborn and stubborn.
But it was the cartoonist Thomas Nast who widely popularized the image of the donkey in his press cartoons. In a caricature published on January 15, 1870 in Harper’s WeeklyNast depicted a donkey kicking a dead lion, symbolizing Edwin Stanton, a former Secretary of War. Soon the donkey was used to represent Democrats, often in a satirical manner, and the image remained as an emblem of the party.
The elephant, symbol of the Republicans
The elephant was first used as a Republican emblem during the 1860 presidential campaign, in the newspaper The Rail Splitter, who supported Abraham Lincoln. However, the symbol of the elephant is above all linked to the re-election of General Grant in 1874. In an editorial in the New York Heraldhe was portrayed as a “power-hungry Caesar”, allegedly seeking a third term.
And that's why, in 1874, the elephant really became associated with the Republican Party thanks to a caricature by Thomas Nast published in Harper’s Weekly. In this illustration, Nast depicted a donkey dressed as a lion, frightening various animals except an elephant bearing the inscription “vote Republican.”
Thomas Nast chose the elephant because this animal traditionally embodies strength and courage, qualities that Republicans claimed for their party. Since that time, the elephant and the donkey have become the respective symbols of Republicans and Democrats, to the point of becoming official emblems, immediately recognizable to represent the two major parties of the United States.
