Image
Description
This print shows a campaign banner for Whig presidential candidate Zachary Taylor. Although Taylor was not formally nominated by the Whigs until June 1848, he had already begun to attract a following in 1846. Here is a half-length portrait of Taylor, in civilian dress, head in profile and arms folded across his chest, appears in a wreath formed by two oak branches. Below the portrait is a couplet reflecting the candidate's still independent status: "About party creeds let party zealots fight / He cant be wrong whose life is in the right."
Transcript of "For President of the People, Zachary Taylor"
Source-Dependent Questions
- Interpret the couplet below the image of Zachary Taylor: “About party creeds let party zealots fight / He cant be wrong whose life is in the right.” How might this couplet along with the title of the poster help Taylor appeal to and connect with voters?
- Contrast this campaign poster with the way the Whig candidate (presumably Taylor) is portrayed in “An Available Candidate: The One Qualification for a Whig President.” Which one is more effective? Why?
Citation Information
Rogers, J.L., "For President of the People, Zachary Taylor," 1846. Courtesy of Library of Congress