What was the purpose of the Join or Die propaganda?

Join, or Die. by Benjamin Franklin (1754), a political cartoon commentary on the disunity of the Thirteen Colonies during the French and Indian War, was later used to encourage the former colonies to unite for the cause of independence during the American Revolutionary War.

What is the message of the Join or Die cartoon?

Digital History. Join or Die, the first political cartoon published in an American newspaper, illustrates Benjamin Franklin’s warning to the British colonies in America “join or die” and exhorting them to unite against the French and the Natives.

Who is the Join or Die intended audience?

The historic “Join or Die” campaign persuaded the American colonists to unite with one another and England during the onset of the French and Indian War by utilizing an influential slogan, characters that directly represent the target audience, and a symbolic setting of a snake’s body.

What do the letters on Join or Die mean?

Source) The “Join, or Die” illustration. ( Source) The letters next to the snake are abbreviations of each colony in geographical order, running south to north (South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, New England).

Why wasn’t Georgia in Join or die?

Newbold has speculated that Georgia was probably excluded from the snake image, “because, as a defenseless frontier area, it could contribute nothing to common security.” Only three laws had been passed in Georgia since its founding as a colony in 1732, prompting a historian of the colony and state to conclude, “The …

Why does the snake have 8 pieces?

New England was represented as one segment, rather than the four colonies it was at that time. Delaware was not listed separately as it was part of Pennsylvania. Georgia, however, was omitted completely. Thus, it has eight segments of a snake rather than the traditional 13 colonies.

What is the message of the snake cartoon?

Franklin’s cartoon made such a powerful impression on Americans that it took on a life of its own. A decade after it originally was published, colonists protesting Great Britain’s enacting of the Stamp Act resurrected the severed snake as a symbol of their desire to unify in opposition to unfair taxation.

What does a broken snake tattoo mean?

Each piece of the broken snake was created to represent each colony joining forces against enemies both domestic and foreign.

What items were taxed under the Stamp Act?

Stamp Act. Parliament’s first direct tax on the American colonies, this act, like those passed in 1764, was enacted to raise money for Britain. It taxed newspapers, almanacs, pamphlets, broadsides, legal documents, dice, and playing cards.

What does the entire snake represent?

The snake as a whole represents the colonies becoming one.

What do snakes Symbolise?

Historically, serpents and snakes represent fertility or a creative life force. As snakes shed their skin through sloughing, they are symbols of rebirth, transformation, immortality, and healing. The ouroboros is a symbol of eternity and continual renewal of life.

What was the meaning of Join Or Die?

Newspaper articles adopted the infamous words, “JOIN, or DIE!” to stir colonial citizens to join the revolutionary cause, renditions of Franklin’s cartoon were published on mastheads of newspapers, and conflicting editorials were published to teach the correct religious interpretation of the “American Serpent.”

Why was the Join Or Die flag used?

After the American Revolution, the flag was still used and repurposed. In fact, the usage of snakes in certain American flags (such as the Gadsden or the First Navy Jack) were inspired by the “Join, Or Die” illustration. Overall, the “Join, or Die” political cartoon played a major role in uniting the Colonies to a Union.

Where did the Join Or Die Banner come from?

“JOIN, OR DIE” – A Symbolic Banner in America’s History. The “Join, or Die” illustration was first published in 1754 by Benjamin Franklin as a political cartoon for the Pennsylvania Gazette, an early American newspaper. The cartoon is a representation of all of the British Colonies in a cut-up segmented rattlesnake,…

What was the significance of the Join Or Die cartoon?

Overall, the “Join, or Die” political cartoon played a major role in uniting the Colonies to a Union. To continue the amazing legacy of Ben Franklin’s “Join, or Die” cartoon, order a beautiful handcrafted “Join, or Die” wooden flag from us.