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Gadsden flag, historical flag used by Commodore Esek Hopkins, the United States’ first naval commander in chief, as his personal ensign during the American Revolution (1775–83). The flag features a coiled rattlesnake above the words “Don’t Tread on Me” on a yellow background.
For historical reasons, the Gadsden flag is still popularly flown in Charleston, South Carolina, the city where Christopher Gadsden first presented the flag and where it was commonly used during the revolution, along with the blue and white crescent flag of pre-Civil War South Carolina.
It’s no secret that Gadsden made his money as a merchant in South Carolina, and both owned and sold slaves. For context into the time period, his fellow American patriot, and slave owner, Benjamin Franklin, actually helped him design the American rattlesnake symbol used on the Gadsden flag.
The origins of the Gadsden Flag can be traced back to 1775 when Christopher Gadsden, a delegate from South Carolina to the Continental Congress, presented his design for a flag that would represent the colonies’ unity in their resistance against Great Britain’s oppression.
The bright yellow Gadsden flag, long a symbol of support for civil liberties and disagreement with government, has its beginning deeply rooted in the days of the American Revolution. The rattlesnake, the Gadsden flag’s central feature, had been an emblem of Americans even before the Revolution.
Learn the history behind the Gadsden Flag and its precursor, Benjamin Franklin’s “Join, or Die'' cartoon. Conduct an analysis of the primary sources, the 'Join, or Die' cartoon, and the Gadsden Flag to identify their potential meaning and significance—both in American history and contemporary American culture.
The yellow "Don't Tread on Me" flag, known as the Gadsden flag, originated in colonial times and was resurrected by the modern-day Tea Party movement in 2010. The flag has been embraced by fringe political groups, including anti-government militias, and has taken on darker overtones.