Gadsden Flag History

Every flag has its own unique story to tell by way of its history. When looking at the Gadsden flag history, there are a few important things to know about this emblem. Here are a few of the major facts from Gadsden flag history worth knowing.

The first thing worth knowing about the Gadsden flag history is the basic appearance of it so you will know it when you see it. This flag features a rattlesnake coiled and ready to strike with his fangs against a yellow background. The flag also showcases the saying, "Don't Tread On Me" across the bottom. The saying was originally "Do Not Tread On Me" but was changed to "Don't" somewhere along the years of production. There are still flags with both wordings on the market and it depends on the manufacturer.

The flag was designed during the American Revolution by Christopher Gadsden. A noted general and political figure of the time, he created the flag as a symbol of the original colonies standing united against a formidable threat. The flag was first introduced in 1775 but it had origins prior to this particular war.

While Gadsden designed what we now call the Gadsden flag, the image of the rattlesnake can be attributed to another important figure in our history. Benjamin Franklin originally used a cut up image of a rattlesnake during the French and Indian War in 1751 to show that the colonies needed to stand united or they would cease to exist.

The flag would remain a prominent image even after the Revolution was over. In fact, the rattlesnake symbol was officially adopted by the Continental Congress in 1778 when it approved the design for the official Seal of the War Office. From this first implementation of this imagery as part of an attitude of defending our nation, this symbol went on to become one of our oldest identifying images still in use even today. The rattlesnake can be seen in several aspects of our government even well over 200 years later.