Description

Join or Die, was the first political cartoon published in an American newspaper. It was created by Benjamin Franklin and was a warning to the British colonies in America “join or die”was originally intended to persuade the British government to support the American colonies against the French and the Natives and urging the colonies to unite during the French and Indian War of 1754.

The image displayed a snake cut up into eight pieces. The snake’s detached head was labeled “N.E.” for “New England,” while the trailing seven sections were tagged with letters representing the colonies of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina 

The “Don’t Tread on Me” is a historical slogan and motto, most famously associated with the Gadsden flag, which originated during the American Revolution. It signifies a warning against oppression and a declaration of independence and resistance to tyranny. The phrase, along with the image of a coiled rattlesnake, conveys a message that those who attempt to encroach upon individual liberties or rights will be met with a strong and forceful response.