Thomas Nast, German-born American caricaturist, cartoonist — born in 1840
Thomas Nast, German-born American caricaturist, cartoonist was born in 1840, during the Industrial Age (19th century) — a figure whose life would leave a lasting mark on history.
Context
Industrial Age — Steam, revolutions, and the modern world takes shape. That's about 130 years ago, roughly 1 centuries back. Around the same time, the world was also seeing François-Auguste-René Rodin (1840) and Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky (1840).
Why it matters
The birth of Thomas Nast, German-born American caricaturist, cartoonist in 1840 set in motion a life that would go on to influence its field for decades — the ideas, works, and choices credited to this figure begin here.
Did you know?
Just 0 years after, François-Auguste-René Rodin (1840) was also making headlines — a reminder how much history can compress into a single decade.
Era
Industrial Age
Steam, revolutions, and the modern world takes shape.
Category
People
People are the individuals whose ideas, courage, or genius echoed far beyond their own lifetime — the scientists, writers, athletes, and reformers behind the headlines.
Contemporary events
What else was happening in the world around this time.
Sources & further reading7 verified references · tap to open
About this lesson. Overview, context, and “Why it matters” are generated summaries written for study and gameplay. Dates and category placement come from the Timeline question bank[1]; era descriptions are adapted from standard historical periodisation[2]. For primary sources and in-depth reading, use the references below.
- Timeline question bank — © the game's original author, used with permission.
- Era framework based on Wikipedia's Human history overview, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Wikipedia
Community-maintained encyclopedia entry with citations.
Encyclopædia Britannica
Editorially reviewed reference articles.
Library of Congress
Primary sources, photographs, and archival records.
National Archives
Original U.S. government documents and records.
Smithsonian
Museum collections and curator-written explainers.
BBC History
Long-form explainers and documentaries.
History.com
Timelines and topic overviews from HISTORY.
Educational content notice
Lessons are for general historical education, not professional advice. Some entries touch on wars, violence, or other sensitive events — appropriate for ages 9+. External links open in your browser and are not controlled by Timeline.
Quick check
Which of these happened in 1840?
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