In 1870, Thomas Nast, the famed political cartoonist for Harper’s Weekly, drew an image of a donkey kicking a lion to represent the Democratic Party’s attempt to break Republicans’ hold on government. The reference to Jackson was unmistakable, and the ornery attitude was spot-on. The cartoon was a huge hit, and from that point forward, the donkey became visually synonymous with the Democratic Party.

Ironically, this happened just as a second war hero, Ulysses S. Grant, had been elected President as a result of his success in the Civil War.  His Republican supporters loved Grant’s tough determination and his focus on rebuilding the south and developing the west.  But his Democratic detractors thought he was a reckless drunk who doled out favors to corrupt robber barons.

In 1874, Thomas Nast struck again. This time, in a second cartoon depicting a struggle between the two parties, Nast ditched the Republican lion and instead used an elephant to represent Grant’s bloated administration, at war with the democratic donkey. Though it was clearly a criticism, there was something about that pachyderm than struck a nerve; as Jackson had done with the donkey, the Republicans embraced the elephant, and adopted it as their own.

In the years since, the donkey and the elephant have become iconic.

Democrats say the donkey is humble, tough and lovable; Republicans say he’s just stupid and stubborn.

Republicans say elephants are dignified, strong and intelligent; Adlai Stevenson spoke for the Dems when he said, “the elephant has thick skin, a head full of ivory, and as everyone who has seen a circus parade knows, proceeds best by grasping the tail of its predecessor.”

Though the donkey came first, the Democrats have never made him their official mascot.

The Republicans, however, know the value of money, so they not only adopted their guy, they even profit from him. You can buy a plush toy of Max the Elephant (or his lovely wife Maxine) at gop.gov for just $35, plus shipping.