Page "Gerrymandering" Paragraph 8

The word gerrymander was reprinted numerous times in Federalist newspapers in Massachusetts, New England, and nationwide during the remainder of 1812.

This suggests some organised activity of the Federalists to disparage Governor Gerry in particular and the growing Democratic-Republican party in general.

Gerrymandering soon began to be used to describe not only the original Massachusetts example but also other cases of district-shape manipulation for partisan gain in other states.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, institutionalisation of the word became complete with its first appearance in a dictionary ( 1848 ) and first appearance in an encyclopedia ( 1868 ).

Although the letter g of the eponymous Gerry is pronounced as in go, the word gerrymander is most commonly pronounced, with a as in gentle.