I used the word "gerrymander" in my previous post and had to look it up to make sure of the correct spelling. While doing so I found something interesting about the word. The Gerrymander is a fictitious monster named after one Elbridge Gerry, who was the Governor of Massachusetts in 1812 and meant to stay that way by allowing his electoral district to be tampered with. A political cartoonist of the time, drew this commentary on the situation:
A voracious bird with a beak for trouble
It was as a result of this work of art that the term gerrymander was coined.
Comments