During the first twelve years after the Civil War the United States was involved in its "Reconstruction" efforts. Out of that era came three amendments to the U.S. Constitution, a Freedmen's Bureau that came and went, and a variety of Civil Rights bills.During this same era, Thomas Nast, "Father of the American Cartoon," made many political statements through his political cartoons - many of which appeared in Harper's Weekly.This book includes annotated, abridged, illustrated versions of these and other important documents and many of Nast's related cartoons. A note of warning about Nast's cartoons - they can be a bit "in your face." It is important to keep in mind the time period that he made them in, and the messages he was trying to get across.

Some of his cartoons appear more like racial caricatures, but as a general rule, he was extremely pro-minorities, and used his incredible drawing ability to focus on difficult issues of his day. His political cartoons, like the other drawings that I have chosen here are generally full of complex messages. Please do not dismiss these works too quickly.