Its hard to miss the Gadsden Flag these days. Although it sprung back into popular American consciousness when the Tea Party first got its legs this is a flag with a long and storied history. In fact the flag is older than the United States itself.
Back in 1751 Benjamin Franklin designed and published Americas first political cartoon. Called Join Or Die" it featured a generic snake cut into 13 parts. The imagery was clear: join together or be destroyed by British power. But why a snake? Around this time Great Britain was sending criminals over to the colonies. Franklin once quipped that the colonists should thank them by sending over shipments of rattlesnakes. As American identity grew so did an affinity for American (as opposed to British) symbols. Bald eagles Native Americans and the American timber rattlesnake the snake depicted on the flag.
By the time 1775 rolled around the rattlesnake was an immensely popular symbol of America. It could be found throughout the 13 colonies on everything from buttons and badges to paper money and flags. No longer was the snake cut into pieces. It was now recognizably the American timber rattlesnake coiled into an attack position with 13 rattles on its tail.
The flag takes on a special historical significance at the Battle of Bunker Hill. This battle still celebrated in Boston is where Colonel William Prescott famously gave the order not to fire until you see the whites of their eyes." One thing the battle underscored was that the Continental forces were woefully low on ammunition. In October of that year the Continentals learned that two ships filled with weapons and gunpowder were headed for Boston. Four ships were commissioned into the Continental Navy led by Commodore Esek Hopkins ordered to get those cargo ships as their first mission.
Continue reading Dont Tread On Me: A Historical Look at the Gadsden Flag at Ammo.com.
Its hard to miss the Gadsden Flag these days. Although it sprung back into popular American consciousness when the Tea Party first got its legs this is a flag with a long and storied history. In fact the flag is older than the United States itself.
Back in 1751 Benjamin Franklin designed and published Americas first political cartoon. Called Join Or Die" it featured a generic snake cut into 13 parts. The imagery was clear: join together or be destroyed by British power. But why a snake? Around this time Great Britain was sending criminals over to the colonies. Franklin once quipped that the colonists should thank them by sending over shipments of rattlesnakes. As American identity grew so did an affinity for American (as opposed to British) symbols. Bald eagles Native Americans and the American timber rattlesnake the snake depicted on the flag.
By the time 1775 rolled around the rattlesnake was an immensely popular symbol of America. It could be found throughout the 13 colonies on everything from buttons and badges to paper money and flags. No longer was the snake cut into pieces. It was now recognizably the American timber rattlesnake coiled into an attack position with 13 rattles on its tail.
The flag takes on a special historical significance at the Battle of Bunker Hill. This battle still celebrated in Boston is where Colonel William Prescott famously gave the order not to fire until you see the whites of their eyes." One thing the battle underscored was that the Continental forces were woefully low on ammunition. In October of that year the Continentals learned that two ships filled with weapons and gunpowder were headed for Boston. Four ships were commissioned into the Continental Navy led by Commodore Esek Hopkins ordered to get those cargo ships as their first mission.
Continue reading Dont Tread On Me: A Historical Look at the Gadsden Flag at Ammo.com.