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Franklin sketched, carved, and published the first known political cartoon in an American newspaper. It was the image of a snake cut into eight sections. The sections represented the individual colonies and the curves of the snake suggested the coastline. [[New England]] was combined into one section as the head of the snake. [[South Carolina]] was at the tail. Beneath the snake were the ominous words "[[Join, or Die]]."<ref>[http://www.gadsden.info/snake.html Rattlesnake Flags]</ref>

Franklin sketched, carved, and published the first known political cartoon in an American newspaper. It was the image of a snake cut into eight sections. The sections represented the individual colonies and the curves of the snake suggested the coastline. [[New England]] was combined into one section as the head of the snake. [[South Carolina]] was at the tail. Beneath the snake were the ominous words "[[Join, or Die]]."<ref>[http://www.gadsden.info/snake.html Rattlesnake Flags]</ref>

The meaning of "Join, or Die" was a plea for unity in defending the colonies during the [[French]] and [[Indian War]]. It played off a common superstition of the time: a snake that had been cut into pieces could come back to life if you joined the sections together before sunset. The snake illustration was reprinted throughout the colonies. Dozens of newspapers from [[Massachusetts]] to [[South Carolina]] ran Franklin's sketch or some variation of it. For example, the Boston Gazette recreated the snake with the words "Unite and Conquer" coming from its mouth. Whatever the reason for newspapers to reprint the rattlesnake symbol, Franklin's snake wiggled its way into American culture as symbolism of an early, shared national identity.

The meaning of "Join, or Die" was a plea for unity in defending the colonies during the [[French and Indian War]]. It played off a common superstition of the time: a snake that had been cut into pieces could come back to life if you joined the sections together before sunset. The snake illustration was reprinted throughout the colonies. Dozens of newspapers from [[Massachusetts]] to [[South Carolina]] ran Franklin's sketch or some variation of it. For example, the Boston Gazette recreated the snake with the words "Unite and Conquer" coming from its mouth. Whatever the reason for newspapers to reprint the rattlesnake symbol, Franklin's snake wiggled its way into American culture as symbolism of an early, shared national identity.

===American independence===

===American independence===