Governor Semple, Washington Territory, from "Governors, Arms, Etc." series (N133-1), issued by Duke Sons & Co. 1885 - 1892

This small chromolithograph, produced by W. Duke, Sons & Co. between 1870 and 1920, is from a series of tobacco cards titled "Governors, Arms, Etc." The card is divided into three distinct sections. In the center, we see a portrait of Governor Semple of the Washington Territory. Flanking this portrait are depictions of the region's coat of arms, monuments on the Columbia River and Mount Rainier. The imagery serves to promote both the product and the idea of the Washington Territory as a land of promise and opportunity. This was a period of westward expansion in the United States, and such images played a role in shaping perceptions of these territories. They also reinforced the dominance of the U.S. government in the newly acquired territories through an institutional endorsement. Understanding this image requires us to look at the history of advertising and the social and political context of westward expansion in the United States. With the benefit of hindsight, we can analyze the ways in which images like this contributed to the construction of national identity and the displacement of indigenous populations.