The Far Side is a historic part of 20th century popular culture, and part of its appeal over the years were the ways that creator Gary Larson routinely made fun of incidents and imagery from real-world history, from the ancient world to the modern, including many classic jokes about American history in particular.

While many of Larson’s cartoons are considered timeless, in retrospect, The Far Side was also frequently a product of capturing the zeitgeist as the author understood it. Part of this meant reinterpreting ideas and moments from history which have remained fixed in the popular consciousness, from Washington’s crossing of the Delaware River to the perils and personalities of the Old West.

Gary Larson keenly chronicled all of these, and more, in his patented cartoonish and irreverent style, resulting in many of his most significant, unforgettable comics.

12 The Far Reinterprets A Pivotal Moment In The History Of American Colonization

"Circa 1500s"

This Far Side cartoon takes readers back to the pre-history of the United States, depicting the moment "horses are introduced to America," in the process rendering this civilization-altering moment in a silly light by having Spanish conquistadors bring horses ashore to shake hands with the indigenous population.

This is classic Gary Larson humor, in which he takes something serious that he is interested in and finds a way to make it ridiculous, to great comedic effect. It is an absurd reinterpretation of history, one that will get a laugh out of most readers, though it is certainly a stronger punchline the more one understands its historical context.

11 The Far Side Highlights A Forgotten Near-Signer Of The Declaration Of Independence

July 4, 1776

Once more, Gary Larson achieves a big laugh with this Far Side comic by undermining the gravitas of a singular moment in history. In this case, that is the g of the Declaration of Independence, which according to a "historical note" provided by the caption, would have concluded with the anachronistic name "Iggy Felton," had his quill not run out of ink.

The jarring intrusion of "Iggy" and his ahistorical way of dressing and speaking is effective high comedy, when juxtaposed with the seriousness of the signatories surrounding him, in what amounts to an all-time-great Far Side American history gag. The cartoon also benefits from being an extra-sized Sunday , allowing a wide-frame perspective on the moment that adds something to the punchline.

10 Gary Larson Hilariously Parodies "Washington Cross The Delaware" In This Far Side Classic

December 25, 1776

Captioned "Washington crossing the street," this Far Side cartoon lampoons the legendary midnight journey across the Delaware River undertaken by George Washington's Army on Christmas, 1776, which turned out to be an early turning point in the War for Independence.

Hilariously, Gary Larson takes the general and his troops out of their boat, and puts them on land, spoofing the famous painting of the event in of composition and style, most notably the rays of sun emanating from above them. Here, the serious quality of their poses in the boat is undermined by the inclusion of their full bodies, as they take long strides to hustle over the crosswalk from one side of the street to the other.

9 The Far Side Reveals The Side Of George Washington Nobody Talks About

Circa 1789-1797

While the previous entry found American founding father George Washington at the height of his career as a military strategist, this Far Side features him chasing glory by...break dancing? Yes, the absurd glory of this Gary Larson gag is that it adds "ballroom break dancer" to the list of the great man's accomplishments, after "general, president, [and] visionary."

"There he goes again," a member of the band at this banquet thinks, as The Far Side completely re-invents readers' understanding of George Washington by blending a contemporary art form with classic 18th century society, making it clear that Washington was ahead of his time in more ways than one.

8 Lewis And Clark Brilliantly Reach Their Breaking Point In This Far Side Cartoon

Circa 1804-1806

Captioned "tensions mount on the Lewis and Clark expedition," this Far Side cartoon takes on the real-life explorers in tongue-in-cheek fashion, by having one write in his journal that he's just about hit his breaking point with the other, noting that "he stepped on the heel of my shoe, causing my foot to come out."

"The frequency of this occurence has made me begin to doubt its accidental nature," the explorer concludes; again, this Far Side cartoon capitalizes on a delightful ixture of contemporary historical details, as the problems in Lewis and Clark's tenuous partnership are reduced to the stuff of high school hallway drama.

7 Gary Larson Takes Readers Back To Before The Bowie Knife Was All The Rage

Circa 1820s

Some Far Side historical cartoons subvert specific moments, while others conjure hilarious interpretations of elements of history that have remained in the popular consciousness, such as the Bowie knife. The iconic blade has become synonymous with rough-and-tumble frontier life, but in Gary Larson's warped sequence of events, it had a less deadly predecessor.

"The Bowie spoon was often used to settle disputes in the Old West," the caption of this Far Side comic explains, before being supplanted by "its more popular and deadly cousin." This is the kind of downright goofy twist on history that only Larson would come up with, and the result is a classic Far Side punchline.

6 The Far Side Reminds Readers Of "Pigeon Jones," Forgotten American Pioneer

Circa Mid-1800s

Captioned "Buffalo Bill, Grizzly Adams, and Pigeon Jones," this Far Side cartoon aggregates several iconic figures from 19th century American frontier history. Well, technically speaking, two iconic figures, and one character of Gary Larson's own creation, as "Pigeon Jones" is not exactly a member of the pantheon of historical Wild West legends.

Though this joke's premise might not strike readers as laugh-out-loud funny, the details of this Far Side illustration elevate it from good to great. Notably, while Buffalo Bill and Grizzly Adams are depicted as heavy-set, imposing characters with furrowed brows, Jones is more diminutive, bespectacled, and dangling off his seat at the saloon, his feet not quite touching the floor.

5 Business At The Alamo Is Booming, But Not In The Good Sense Of The Word

Circa March 6, 1836

Here, Gary Larson puts a hilariously modern spin on the battle of the Alamo, as a merch vendor at the infamously ill-fated site is depicted rapidly slashing prices on Alamo mugs and t-shirts reading "I kicked Santa Anna's butt at the Alamo," in response to the increasingly bleak prospects of the fort's defenders.

Without needing a caption, this Far Side comic conveys its humor through its illustration alone, brilliantly contrasting the plight of the soldiers on the Alamo's walls as they face the increasing likelihood of defeat, while on the level beneath them, the erstwhile entrepreneur sits and reckons with the fact that he bet on the wrong side.

4 The Far Side Dispels A Common Bit Of Misinformation About Abraham Lincoln...With More Misinformation

Circa 1809 (Lincoln's Birth Year)

One of The Far Side's most tried-and-true techniques involved taking something familiar and flipping it completely; here, a tour guide shows off Abraham Lincoln's birthplace, while noting that one shouldn't buy the "popular myth" that he was "born in a little log cabin," as she stands in front of a velvet rope, in front of an absolutely massive cabin.

It is a straightforward joke, one that undermines the mythology surrounding Lincoln in a way than manages to be both smart and dumb at the same time. The Far Side was often at its best when it was able to balance intelligent and intentionally dumb humor, and this historical reference threads that needle exceptionally well.

3 The Far Side Focuses On The Opening Of The Gettsyburg Address

November 19, 1863

Abraham Lincoln is once again the central focus of this Far Side cartoon; this time, Gary Larson takes readers back to the morning of the Gettysburg Address, with the over-the-shoulder perspective of the revealing that Lincoln's script for the speech includes "guy walks into a bar..." joke as an opener.

Brilliantly, the lack of caption here leaves an air of mystery to this Far Side cartoon. That is, it is unclear whether Lincoln has actually delivered his opening joke (though the curl of the paper so as to just leave the punchline readable suggests he very well may have) or, alternatively, upon sensing the gravity of the moment, has chosen to omit it. Considering the tone of The Far Side, of course, the former might be a safe bet.