State Historical Society of Iowa

"The Hercules of the Union, Slaying the Great Dragon of Secession" Cartoon, 1861

 Download Image Resource

Courtesy of Library of Congress, "The Hercules of the Union, Slaying the Great Dragon of Secession," Currier & Ives, New York, 1861

Description

This cartoon from 1861 showed General Winfield Scott slaying a dragon called secession. The cartoon served as a tribute to the commander of Union forces, Gen. Winfield Scott, shown as the mythical Hercules slaying the many-headed dragon or hydra. Here, the hydra symbolizes the secession of the Confederate states. At left stands Scott, wielding a great club "Liberty and Union," about to strike the beast. The hydra has seven heads, each representing a prominent Southern leader. The neck of each southerner depicted is labeled with a vice or crime associated with him.

Transcript of "The Hercules of the Union, Slaying the Great Dragon of Secession" Cartoon

Printable Excerpt of "We Are Out of the Union" Article

Source Dependent Questions

  • Each head of the hydra represents a southern leader and a crime associated with him. What do you think it meant that no leader was accused of the crime of slavery?
  • Keeping in mind that the hydra is a creature with many heads, justify this claim using evidence: The artist used the hydra to show that secession had multiple causes, not just slavery.
  • Consider the imagery used, what was the artist saying about how the United States would respond to secession?

Citation Information

"The Hercules of the Union, Slaying the Great Dragon of Secession," Currier & Ives, New York, 1861. Courtesy of Library of Congress Courtesy of Library of Congress

"The Hercules of the Union, Slaying the Great Dragon of Secession" Cartoon, 1861

 Download Image Resource

Courtesy of Library of Congress, "The Hercules of the Union, Slaying the Great Dragon of Secession," Currier & Ives, New York, 1861

Description

This cartoon from 1861 shows General Winfield Scott slaying a dragon called secession. The cartoon serves as a tribute to the commander of Union forces, Gen. Winfield Scott, shown as the mythical Hercules slaying the many-headed dragon or hydra, here symbolizing the secession of the Confederate states. At left stands Scott, wielding a great club "Liberty and Union," about to strike the beast. The hydra has seven heads, each representing a prominent Southern leader. The neck of each southerner depicted is labeled with a vice or crime associated with him.

Transcript of "The Hercules of the Union, Slaying the Great Dragon of Secession" Cartoon

Source Dependent Questions

  • Each head of the hydra represents a southern leader and a crime associated with them. What do you think it means that no leader is accused of the crime of slavery?
  • Justify this claim using evidence - the hydra is a creature with many heads. The artist used the hydra to show that secession had multiple causes, not just slavery.

Citation Information

"The Hercules of the Union, Slaying the Great Dragon of Secession," Currier & Ives, New York, 1861. Courtesy of Library of Congress Courtesy of Library of Congress

State Historical Society of Iowa

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