What does this flag stand for?

What does the flag "dont tread on me stand for?

  • Ive seen that flag but im not really sure what it stands for. (Its the yellow one with a snake)

  • Answer:

    Bubba, the origins of the snake in American history date back to 1751 when Benjamin Franklin made a political cartoon depicting a snake, later the snake took on a more serious meaning with the use of a banner showing a disjointed snake with the colonies initials. This flag had the term join or die on it. Most reading I've done shows a colonist by the name of Christopher Gasdon as the first patriot to use the Don't tread on me Flag and the earliest I have found as a company flag is the Culpepper Minute Men flag which had both Liberty or Death and Don't Tread on Me with a coiled rattle snake. You can find quite a bit on the flag on line with google or yahoo, and there is a lot of history in the Carolina's on liberty and patriotic flags.

Bubba Varela at Yahoo! Answers Visit the source

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Other answers

First, a little history regarding the image of the rattlesnake is in order. At our nation’s founding there were some who wanted this creature to be the symbol of America. In 1775, the Continental Congress issued an order calling for five companies of Marines to be created. It was reported that some of the Marines that enlisted that month in Philadelphia carried drums painted yellow, emblazoned with a fierce rattlesnake coiled and ready to strike with 13 rattles, and sporting a motto “Don't Tread On Me.” The Marines first mission was assisting the Continental Navy on a man-of-war, the Alfred, and three other ships in capturing arms and gunpowder from the British. In December of that year “An American Guesser” anonymously wrote to the Pennsylvania Journal “I observed on one of the drums belonging to the marines now raising, there was painted a Rattle-Snake, with this modest motto under it, 'Don't tread on me.' As I know it is the custom to have some device on the arms of every country, I supposed this may have been intended for the arms of America.” This anonymous writer, having “nothing to do with public affairs” went on to speculate on why the rattlesnake might be chosen as a symbol for America. He said “the rattlesnake is found in no other quarter of the world besides America.” Furthermore, “she never begins an attack, nor once engaged, ever surrenders: she is therefore an emblem of magnanimity and true courage. … she never wounds till she is generously given notice, even to her enemy, and cautioned him against the danger of treading on her.” He also felt the 13 rattles on the flag were a symbol of unity, saying “one of those rattles singly, is incapable of producing sound, but the ringing of 13 together, is sufficient to alarm the boldest man living.” Many scholars now agree that this “American Guesser” was Benjamin Franklin. Regarding the flag itself, the Gadsden flag was named after its creator, Christopher Gadsden. He led the Sons of liberty in South Carolina in 1765 and was later made a colonel in the Continental Army. In 1775, while he was in Philadelphia, Gadsden was one of three members of the Marine committee to help outfit and man the Alfred and its sister ships. Esek Hopkins was chosen to be the commander-in-chief of the Navy by Gadsden and Congress. It is generally accepted that Gadsden presented Hopkins with the flag which he flew as his personal standard on the Alfred, because he felt it was important for the Commodore to have a distinctive personal standard. What is unclear is whether Gadsden took his inspiration from the Marines drums or whether he inspired it himself. In any event, both played an important historic role in portraying the rattlesnake as a symbol of America. The current Marine Corps emblem of the eagle, globe and anchor was officially adopted in 1868 by Brigadier General Jacob Zeilin.

drakon 2.0

"Don't tread on me" means, if you treat me bad I'll make you sorry. Like if you step on a snake it will bite you. The colonists who created that flag felt like they were being treated very badly and were getting ready to fight back.

Ask an Old Lady

Pretty sure it means if you try to harm my civil liberties I'm going to bite you and inject you with venom so you die.

Bob the jackson

Everyone else covered it pretty well, so I'll just throw a little fun fact out there. The Gadsden flag almost became the official flag of the USA. But otherwise, most of the other answers got it.

AnonymousGearhead

If you want to get bitten then simply step on my tail or violate my Bill Of Rights.

acmeraven

it was the first rebel flag considered for the US during the civil war. not sure who made this flag.

stormgale

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