Victorian trade cards picturing playful animals, saucy circus performers, young women (perhaps showing a little ankle), and children were America's first major cigarette advertising medium. Late 19th Century Americans were dazzled by all of the new technology, and were proud of their achievements. Trade cards are a unique way to view how they lived, what they believed in and laughed at, and what their desires were. Usually given away in sets of six, these colorful cigarette promotional cards captivated Americans, who pasted them in Victorian scrapbooks. Cruel caricatures, especially of immigrants, were sometimes used to grab attention. However, advertising that featured nudes or subordinated or exploited women, generally wasn't issued by tobacco companies. The Welcome card pictured below is an exception to the tasteful cards that promoted these early brands of cigarettes.