![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.gettysburgflag.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/SNAKES-ON-FLAG-INFOGRAPHIC-Revised.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nJoin, Or Die<\/strong><\/h3>\nThe symbolism of snakes on flags, at least in America, came to represent the mounting colonial resistance to British rule, primarily featuring rattlesnakes (specifically Timber Rattlers) native to North America.<\/p>\n
The first of the American flags with snakes was not a flag at all! The famous wood carving \u201cJoin, or Die\u201d was designed in 1754 by founding father Benjamin Franklin and published in his Pennsylvania Gazette<\/em>, as a political cartoon commenting on the 1754 Albany Congress and emphasizing the importance of unity among the colonies. It was later used as a rallying message during the American Revolution, when various colonies debated which side of the conflict to take. Franklin\u2019s initial design inspired all of the snake flags that succeeded it, with the rattlesnake becoming a symbol of the American Revolution. The snake\u2019s rattle has 13 segments, signifying the original 13 colonies, and the snake characterized the political climate of the colonies, which would not strike until provoked, hence the phrase, \u201cDon\u2019t tread on me.\u201d Marines mustering in Philadelphia in 1775 began displaying drums painted with the rattlesnake design, prompting an anonymous \u201cAmerican Guesser,\u201d (believed to have been Franklin) to write the Pennsylvania Journal <\/em>regarding the power of the symbol.<\/p>\n\u201cShe never begins an attack, nor, when once engaged, ever surrenders: She is therefore an emblem of magnanimity and true courage,\u201d the \u201cGuesser\u201d wrote. \u201cShe never wounds \u2019till she has generously given notice, even to her enemy, and cautioned him against the danger of treading on her.\u201d<\/p>\n
The writer also noted that the rattlesnake also has sharp eyes, and \u201cmay therefore be esteemed an emblem of vigilance,\u201d while elaborating on the symbolism of the rattles on the snake\u2019s tale: \u201c\u2019Tis curious and amazing to observe how distinct and independent of each other the rattles of this animal are, and yet how firmly they are united together, so as never to be separated but by breaking them to pieces. One of those rattles singly, is incapable of producing sound, but the ringing of thirteen together, is sufficient to alarm the boldest man living.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Gadsden Flag<\/strong><\/h3>\nRight around this time in 1775 another popular example of snakes on flags emerged: The Gadsden Flag<\/a> (a.k.a the Hopkins Flag), featuring the classic image of a coiled rattlesnake on a yellow background and the words \u201cDon\u2019t Tread On Me.\u201d The flag is named for Christopher Gadsden, a South Carolina patriot who led his state\u2019s chapter of the Sons of Liberty and later became a brigadier general in the Continental Army.![\"don't](\"https:\/\/www.gettysburgflag.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/g1.jpg\")
<\/a>Gadsden, who also served with the Continental Congress and was on its Marine Committee, presented the first officially known incarnation of the flag as a gift to Commodore Esek Hopkins, newly appointed commander in chief of the Continental Navy, as personal standard for Hopkins\u2019 flagship, the Alfred<\/em>. Gadsden also presented a copy of the flag to the South Carolina state legislature in Charleston, while Hopkins flew the flag on the mainmast of the Alfred <\/em>during the fledgling Navy\u2019s first missions.<\/p>\nThe Culpeper Flag<\/strong><\/h3>\nA similar concept of flags with snakes on them was seen around the same time on the\u00a0Culpeper Flag<\/a>, also circa 1775, which was designed and used as a standard by the minutemen of Culpeper County, Virginia. Similar in appearance to the Gadsden Flag, this version also featured a coiled snake on a white background and the slogan, \u201cDon\u2019t Tread On Me,\u201d but also included the phrase \u201cLiberty or Death,\u201d echoing the words of Patrick Henry, who organized the Virginia militia.<\/p>\n![\"culpeper](\"https:\/\/www.gettysburgflag.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/g2.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nThe First Navy Jack<\/strong><\/h3>\nAnd one of the earliest U.S. Navy flags\u2014the First Navy Jack, circa 1777\u2014was still another example of flags with snakes. The Gadsden Flag had inspired its design, however, in this incarnation, the rattlesnake in the flag isn\u2019t coiled. It also bears 13 stripes, representing the 13 original colonies. Flown actively as a naval standard, the First Navy Jack<\/a> remains the current U.S. jack authorized by the Navy and is flown from the jackstaff of commissioned U.S. Navy vessels while moored pier-side or at anchor.
\n![\"the](\"https:\/\/www.gettysburgflag.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/g3.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nBuy Snake Flags Online at Gettysburg Flag Works<\/strong><\/p>\nWould you like a snake flag of your own? Gettysburg Flag Works offers numerous historical battle and war flags<\/a>, including the Gadsden Flag, the First Navy Jack and the Culpeper Flag. We also offer custom design options<\/a>, in case you have ideas for flags with snakes on them that haven\u2019t been created yet! Please visit our website<\/a> or call 1-888-697-3524 for more information.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cShe never begins an attack, nor, when once engaged, ever surrenders: She is therefore an emblem of magnanimity and true courage,\u201d the \u201cGuesser\u201d wrote. \u201cShe never wounds \u2019till she has generously given notice, even to her enemy, and cautioned him against the danger of treading on her.\u201d<\/p>\n
The writer also noted that the rattlesnake also has sharp eyes, and \u201cmay therefore be esteemed an emblem of vigilance,\u201d while elaborating on the symbolism of the rattles on the snake\u2019s tale: \u201c\u2019Tis curious and amazing to observe how distinct and independent of each other the rattles of this animal are, and yet how firmly they are united together, so as never to be separated but by breaking them to pieces. One of those rattles singly, is incapable of producing sound, but the ringing of thirteen together, is sufficient to alarm the boldest man living.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Gadsden Flag<\/strong><\/h3>\nRight around this time in 1775 another popular example of snakes on flags emerged: The Gadsden Flag<\/a> (a.k.a the Hopkins Flag), featuring the classic image of a coiled rattlesnake on a yellow background and the words \u201cDon\u2019t Tread On Me.\u201d The flag is named for Christopher Gadsden, a South Carolina patriot who led his state\u2019s chapter of the Sons of Liberty and later became a brigadier general in the Continental Army.<\/a>Gadsden, who also served with the Continental Congress and was on its Marine Committee, presented the first officially known incarnation of the flag as a gift to Commodore Esek Hopkins, newly appointed commander in chief of the Continental Navy, as personal standard for Hopkins\u2019 flagship, the Alfred<\/em>. Gadsden also presented a copy of the flag to the South Carolina state legislature in Charleston, while Hopkins flew the flag on the mainmast of the Alfred <\/em>during the fledgling Navy\u2019s first missions.<\/p>\nThe Culpeper Flag<\/strong><\/h3>\nA similar concept of flags with snakes on them was seen around the same time on the\u00a0Culpeper Flag<\/a>, also circa 1775, which was designed and used as a standard by the minutemen of Culpeper County, Virginia. Similar in appearance to the Gadsden Flag, this version also featured a coiled snake on a white background and the slogan, \u201cDon\u2019t Tread On Me,\u201d but also included the phrase \u201cLiberty or Death,\u201d echoing the words of Patrick Henry, who organized the Virginia militia.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\nThe First Navy Jack<\/strong><\/h3>\nAnd one of the earliest U.S. Navy flags\u2014the First Navy Jack, circa 1777\u2014was still another example of flags with snakes. The Gadsden Flag had inspired its design, however, in this incarnation, the rattlesnake in the flag isn\u2019t coiled. It also bears 13 stripes, representing the 13 original colonies. Flown actively as a naval standard, the First Navy Jack<\/a> remains the current U.S. jack authorized by the Navy and is flown from the jackstaff of commissioned U.S. Navy vessels while moored pier-side or at anchor.
\n<\/a><\/p>\nBuy Snake Flags Online at Gettysburg Flag Works<\/strong><\/p>\nWould you like a snake flag of your own? Gettysburg Flag Works offers numerous historical battle and war flags<\/a>, including the Gadsden Flag, the First Navy Jack and the Culpeper Flag. We also offer custom design options<\/a>, in case you have ideas for flags with snakes on them that haven\u2019t been created yet! Please visit our website<\/a> or call 1-888-697-3524 for more information.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
<\/a>Gadsden, who also served with the Continental Congress and was on its Marine Committee, presented the first officially known incarnation of the flag as a gift to Commodore Esek Hopkins, newly appointed commander in chief of the Continental Navy, as personal standard for Hopkins\u2019 flagship, the Alfred<\/em>. Gadsden also presented a copy of the flag to the South Carolina state legislature in Charleston, while Hopkins flew the flag on the mainmast of the Alfred <\/em>during the fledgling Navy\u2019s first missions.<\/p>\nThe Culpeper Flag<\/strong><\/h3>\nA similar concept of flags with snakes on them was seen around the same time on the\u00a0Culpeper Flag<\/a>, also circa 1775, which was designed and used as a standard by the minutemen of Culpeper County, Virginia. Similar in appearance to the Gadsden Flag, this version also featured a coiled snake on a white background and the slogan, \u201cDon\u2019t Tread On Me,\u201d but also included the phrase \u201cLiberty or Death,\u201d echoing the words of Patrick Henry, who organized the Virginia militia.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\nThe First Navy Jack<\/strong><\/h3>\nAnd one of the earliest U.S. Navy flags\u2014the First Navy Jack, circa 1777\u2014was still another example of flags with snakes. The Gadsden Flag had inspired its design, however, in this incarnation, the rattlesnake in the flag isn\u2019t coiled. It also bears 13 stripes, representing the 13 original colonies. Flown actively as a naval standard, the First Navy Jack<\/a> remains the current U.S. jack authorized by the Navy and is flown from the jackstaff of commissioned U.S. Navy vessels while moored pier-side or at anchor.
\n<\/a><\/p>\nBuy Snake Flags Online at Gettysburg Flag Works<\/strong><\/p>\nWould you like a snake flag of your own? Gettysburg Flag Works offers numerous historical battle and war flags<\/a>, including the Gadsden Flag, the First Navy Jack and the Culpeper Flag. We also offer custom design options<\/a>, in case you have ideas for flags with snakes on them that haven\u2019t been created yet! Please visit our website<\/a> or call 1-888-697-3524 for more information.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
And one of the earliest U.S. Navy flags\u2014the First Navy Jack, circa 1777\u2014was still another example of flags with snakes. The Gadsden Flag had inspired its design, however, in this incarnation, the rattlesnake in the flag isn\u2019t coiled. It also bears 13 stripes, representing the 13 original colonies. Flown actively as a naval standard, the First Navy Jack<\/a> remains the current U.S. jack authorized by the Navy and is flown from the jackstaff of commissioned U.S. Navy vessels while moored pier-side or at anchor. Buy Snake Flags Online at Gettysburg Flag Works<\/strong><\/p>\n Would you like a snake flag of your own? Gettysburg Flag Works offers numerous historical battle and war flags<\/a>, including the Gadsden Flag, the First Navy Jack and the Culpeper Flag. We also offer custom design options<\/a>, in case you have ideas for flags with snakes on them that haven\u2019t been created yet! Please visit our website<\/a> or call 1-888-697-3524 for more information.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" <\/a><\/p>\nThe First Navy Jack<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n<\/a><\/p>\n