Don’t Tread On Me Meaning? What is the Gadsden Flag?

Don’t tread on me or how a rattlesnake became the symbol of liberty and survival skills in 2023. The ideology of fierce independence without tyranny goes back to the old days of Gadsden Flag, which held the inscription of don’t tread on me meaning. The philosophy is inspired by riots and desire for freedom, which brought the patriots of the United States of America to victory over corrupt governments. Dive deep with us and take the inspiration of the past to increase your morale today and win the battle over nowadays hazards.

“Don’t tread on me” is not just a title of Metallica’s 1991 hit or their printed shirt. This is the phrase that depicts the very gist of the American way of life, and it is no surprise that you can see it on one of the most famous United States traditional flags – the Gadsden flag.

This article will shed some light on the history of the Gadsden flag, the concept behind its visuals and its famous word slogan, and how it relates to the modern-day survivalist philosophy.

Don’t Tread On Me Meaning ? Introduction

Answering what Don’t Tread On Me means will take us looking back at the United States’ history and how this nation made itself and to dig more about Gadsden flag. Centuries ago, the driving force of the soon-to-be Americans was self-support. Pioneers had to work their own way to inhabit the land, build households, hunt with shotguns, work their fields and get by. So historically, this state of autonomy and self-reliance has been intertwined with how generations of Americans saw the world. The knowledge that there might be no help coming from anywhere has shaped this nation.

So it will not be much of a stretch to say tha if there IS some culture in particular thing that we can use to call it the American spirit, the thing must be “survival” emblem. The state of awareness and preparedness for the worst-case scenarios that may occur is what defines the Americans historically.

What is the American spirit emblem? Is there really such a thing in dictionary? And if there is, how can we describe it in America?

The world is a scary and dangerous place. And who could know this better than early America’s frontiers? And later on, their descendants – the people who built the United States.

The idea that what you work on with don’t tread on me meaning should belong to you and in no way can be subject to outside interference, and that, if needed, you will fight for your right to live and work the way you feel is right has been best represented in one of the oldest protest symbols of America – the Gadsden flag.

In this article, you will learn more about the “rattlesnake flag or Gadsden flag” its historical background and symbolism, the place it occupies in modern-day America, and how it affected today’s survivalists’ philosophy.

Rattlesnake? One of the Oldest Flag Symbols in the United States

Pretty much of information about on what is don’t tread on me meaning and symbol to be said in this article has already been covered in rattlesnake Gadsden flag video below. We encourage you to watch it. But if YouTube educational videos and simple dictionary are not your style, feel free to proceed with our article about Gadsden flag and don’t tread on me phrase meaning.

So rattlesnakes flag, right? What is the connection between rattlesnakes and American history? You may get surprised, but many people don’t really know where the coiled rattlesnake symbol comes from and what it actually means.

Well, for the very least, rattlesnakes were common reptile species in the terrains of the 13 initial North American colonies. But there is a lot more to this flags topic. Let’s refresh our memory and look back at young America.

The year is 1754. A politician you might have heard of – Benjamin Franklin – creates the first-ever political sketch to be printed in the American press. The said sketch contained an image of a rattlesnake emblem severed into eight sections. Each of the sections depicted the first eight colonies. At the head of the serpent was New England, and at the tail – the state of South Carolina. The slogan under the image read: “Join or Die.”

Franklin’s sketch served as a call to join together to survive. And it appeared years before the American Revolution took place. Later, the severed snake symbol emblem was utilized again as a protest statement again the tyranny of Britain.

Then, Franklin’s sketch for a rattlesnake flag was chosen by Paul Rever for the logo of the Massachusetts Spy newspaper that he owned. It took place in 1774 – the American Revolution was just a year away.

The concept of rattlesnake flag behind the image of a dead and severed snake is easy to read into: it means the loss of unity, the state of alienation, and the weakness it brings before the future hardships, enemies ready to tear the separated colonies to shreds.

Whereas, the opposite image – a rattlesnake aggressively showing its poisonous fangs as a threat to whoever dared to tread on it – would shortly become the new colonial protest symbol.

Why Franklin chose the rattlesnake? 

Well, Benjamin Franklin himself commented on the matter in 1775, right after the Revolutionary War began. In his anonymous letter signed as “An American Guesser,” the future president of the United States made his point on why he thought that the rattlesnake flag was the design of proper protest symbol of America.

Franklin wrote that rattlesnakes are only found within the North American continent. And in this matter, these animals seemed purely American to him, thus becoming the obvious choice to portray the young country in its strife for sovereignty and privacy from the tyrant government overseas.

What was so special in that animal  that made him put its emblem onto the political poster?

Another point that Franklin made in his letter to the Pennsylvania Journal is that rattlesnakes differed not only from other animals but were unique within their own class of serpents. He praised rattlesnakes for their natural features, such as extremely bright eyes with no eyelids. Rattlesnakes, as Franklin pointed out, never tend to strike first. But should they encounter an aggressor, they will attack in a blink of an eye and will never surrender.

Rattlesnake bite is deadly, Franklin wrote, and that is why rattlesnakes don’t bite unless they are left with no other choice. But they always warn their opponent to step away by rattling with their tail. Seemingly defenseless, rattlesnake is the very death in disguise.

That was how Benjamin Franklin viewed America – while the young country could look defenseless, it concealed the great political power within itself, the power to retaliate against hostility and kill the enemy with its deadly poison. Just like the rattlesnake, when trodden on, the country turned into an unstoppable force. This image was just what America needed in the days of the Revolutionary war.

Gadsden Flag History & What Does Don’t Tread On Me Meaning Today

The Gadsden flag emblem is the most famous example of where that aggressive protest symbol was applied. The banner composed by Christopher Gadsden portrays flag as an angered rattlesnake against the yellow backdrop and the phrase “Don’t tread on me” below it. That is why the Gadsden flag is sometimes referred to as a “rattlesnake flag” or a “don’t-tread-on-me flag.”

But what is the history behind the Gadsden flag?

This story takes us back to 1775. Christopher Gadsden, a South Carolina-born colonel of the continental army, resides in the Marine Committee, where he represents his home state. In that very year, the Second Continental Congress decides to send five troops of Marines to fight the Brits. The drums those marines used were painted in yellow and had a drawing of a rattlesnake accompanied by the words “Don’t tread on me.”

The Continental army Colonel Gadsden himself, as a member of the Marine Committee, was about to depart for the said mission. On the day of the departure, Colonel Gadsden gave his rattlesnake flag to the commander-in-chief Esek Hopkins. Later, Gadsden introduced his flag emblem in the Congress of South Carolina as a possible standard banner for the Navy.

However, the Gadsden flag had more than one variation. For instance, the Culpeper Minutemen picked the rattlesnake don’t tread on me flag image but placed it against the white background with the words “Liberty or Death” just above the “Don’t tread on me” motto. This Gadsden flag modification was used by the Virginia militia crews of the Culpeper region.

Another example of the rattlesnake flag visual use is the Seal of War Office. In 1778 this image became an element of the official US army emblem. There, a rattlesnake Gadsden flag is seen holding a banner with the slogan “This we’ll defend.” For almost two and a half centuries now, that rattlesnake flag has been the symbol of the United States of America military forces.

The caricature of Benjamin Franklin caused the creation of a flag that became the main symbol of independence of the American colonies. The design was slightly changed, but the rattlesnake remained in the center of it. So, the main elements of the Flag are the rattlesnake intending to attack, a yellow field, and a meaningful phrase “Don’t Tread On Me” on the bottom of the flag.

The American Revolution Culture by the Cartoon Creator

Benjamin Franklin was a politician who made a great contribution to the national movements by his actions and statements. He gave some comments about his rattlesnake flag, and we will describe them below.

So, the main reason for his choice about the picture was that the rattlesnake is typical only for America, and it is a great point to make her an emblem of this nation.

He also noticed some features of this snake that make this snake different from any other species. It was the special glance of this snake that shows alertness and concentration. These characteristics of snake are remarkable because of the bright eyes of the snake and the absence of eye-lids.

Even though the rage is visible in her eyes, the rattlesnake will never start an attack, but if she begins, this snake will not let herself be offended. Courage is a trait similar to Americans and the snake flag. Here the courage means that the snake provides an opportunity for her opponent to back off. She warns you that she will kill you, and you should not create some conflicts or even tread on her.

Warning about an assault is a feature of a wise snake and generous creature. That is why the messages perceived from the rattlesnake flags and Americans have some similarities. Defense but not attacked was the trait of colonies at that time.

As regards the physical characteristics of the snake, her poison is deadly dangerous, but she used it mostly for eating but not for protection. The same situation is with the power of the US nation. Their power is a means of life, but if someone provokes Americans to start protection, power will be the cause of their win and freedom.

This comparison between residents of colonies and a snake emblem on flags as an animal still makes sense. It helps them to cooperate and start an American revolution to get liberty and respect from other countries.

The snake was a symbol of America until the bald eagle replaced it on flags. However, the spirit of Americans has not changed — their protection and readiness to fend for themselves is still their strong point.

Gadsden Flags Of Minutemen with Rattlesnake Design

The design of the Gadsden flag was modified by Culpepper Minutemen. They made the white background and added the phrase “Liberty or Death” to it. It was applied in Virginia by volunteers.

Later the flag became an official symbol and was printed of flag by the War Office. Headquarters of the Army also updated the flag by adding an ensign with the words “This We’ll Defend.”

The main point was to convey that the continental army of America is always ready for defense, but they will never start a fight.

The Gadsden Flag emblem has been an official symbol of the army for 236 years, with some replacements in the design during this period.

Alternatives To Gadsden Flag Culture

The flag was not the only Gadsden flag with the rattlesnake as the main symbol, and there were many variations with different words, not only don’t tread on me and pictures on them. For instance, First Navy Jack was the flag of the U.S. Navy with the snake and stripped background.

Christopher Gadsden from South Carolina was the first person who received official credit for his project of the flag. Then many politicians and painters tried to improve the design, but this one remained the favorite flag among the public.

1775 was a significant year for revolutionists because the British army caused conflicts with Americans. The start of this struggle was at the begging of the fall when the British capture Boston but the American continental army did not have enough weapons for the battle. Nevertheless, the Battle of Bunker Hill happened, and Washington’s armies were defeated. In October of 1775 British sent a merchant ship with thousands of weapons to Philadelphia. American Congress did not understand the message and attacked the cargo ships to capture a valuable shipment.

Later, the Second Continental Congress decided to gather five troops from the U.S. Marine Corps for the navy expedition, and it started in Philadelphia. Marines played the drums on the event devoted to the beginning of their adventure, and these drums included the image of the snake with the motto “Don’t Tread on Me.” So, it was the first official presentation of the Gadsden Flag.

Besides, Christopher Gadsden was one of the infantrymen who participated in this historical event. He gave a yellow flag with a coiled rattlesnake to Esek Hopkins, commander-in-chief, to make the flag a distinctive element of one of the flagships. Then the Gadsden Flag was fixed at the mainmast as the first representation of freedom and courage of Americans.

Flag included not only its standard flag parts but also the slogan “In God We Hope” surrounded by artillery and anchor, same as “Don’t tread on me”.

Another case when Cristopher Gadsden showed his flag to the government was in February 1776. That time he gave a copy to Congress in Charleston, South Carolina, and proposed to make it an official flag of the U.S. Navy.

Resurrection Of Gadsden Flag Symbol History

The revolutionary war was not the only occasion when this flag was an emblem of the nation’s intentions. A wave of patriotism made it a sign of disagreement and declaration of personal opinion against the authorities.

Citizens still protect civil rights with this Gadsden flag during the fight against damaging actions of the government. A coiled rattlesnake is a great presentation of disagreement with inequalities and injustices in the country, and many liberal coalitions have been using it for the statement of their volition.

When the government forgets about the population and only tries to enrich their budgets through taxation or infringements of the people, the nation will not turn a blind eye to it but will struggle for their rights and welfare.

Make sure you understand the historical meaning of this flag symbol while using it. There is a belief that it is a sign of disagreement with foreign countries. However, Gadsden created a banner against the government of America but not against a foreign one in 1775. The British, especially their king, ruled America at that time, and it was the government of the US.

Gadsden Flag on the warship declared the struggle with the unfair home state but not with the foreign rulers. Members of the warship were trying to state their opinion as citizens but not just soldiers of the U.S. Navy. An official declaration of independence was later, in 1776, and until this moment, it was an uprising of indifferent residents of states.

Gadsden Flag as Emblem of Protest – Don’t Tread on Me

Once the history is clear, we understand the reason for the usage of the Gadsden Flag nowadays. When Americans are trying to present their self-defense today, they refer to this symbol that unified thousands of people from the corrupted government more than 200 years ago. Don’t tread on me meaning and understanding gives them a belief in a chance to illustrate personal wishes and turn ruling and laws in favor of the public.

For instance, one of the libertarian culture circles, the Tea Party, uses the flag to verify and make stronger their enunciations for faithful citizens of America.

Tea Party movement, US soccer team, Major League Soccer, and other powerful and dissent organizations apply that flag with the purpose similar to its origins — sending a message inside the country but not outside it.

Although the Gadsden flag with rattlesnake emblem is and don’t tread on me sign is a correct presentation of native Americans, it was decided to use stripes and stars as the official image of the US. The thing is that the previous format describes the opinion of the individual but of the nation, but the current flag of the States shows the unification and merging of nations. It is more appropriate to present the shared interests of the population to other countries than the wishes of one person.

Americans were not so powerful in 1775, and they were similar to the rattlesnake flag protecting herself from enemies. Nowadays, our country cannot be identified lone animal because it is a strong and influential country.

Rattlesnake emblem as Gadsden Flag Today

So what does this flag stand for today?

Over the years, the rattlesnake flag has gotten new interpretations and now is used to manifest a whole bunch of ideas, beliefs, and doctrines. But before we dive into all that, let’s focus on something very obvious.

The rattlesnake banner stands for patriotism, national integrity, and independence. This meaning is easy to read into thanks to history. Having emerged in the days of the struggle against oppression and foreign tyranny, the Gadsden banner bears this concept of national pride and aptness to fight back.

Just like the Confederate Battle flag serves to symbolize southern pride, the Gadsden flag symbolizes the integrity of the whole nation.

However, there is more to this Gadsden flag.

Another reading of this flag emblem is rebellion. Quite often, in plain English this means resistance against the oppression of your own government. No wonder why of all the flags in the culture of the US, it is the Gadsden flag emblem that is used by the likes of libertarian political groups or activists of the Tea Party movement. In such a context, the Gadsden flag portrays how an individual or a group of individuals strives for freedom against the will of a government.

For instance, many people in the US are concerned about how often the government is interfering with the life of the nation and sometimes attempting to question its traditions, such as the gun rights guaranteed by the second amendment. The Tea Party patriotic movement, in particular, is striving to protect this constitutional right at all costs possible.

And here we get to the point of our story where the Gadsden flag becomes subject to controversies.

The Gadsden Flag Controversies

You see, back in the day, the US was built by rich white people who were, for the lack of a better word, slave owners. So it is no surprise that Gadsden himself was a slave owner and a slave trader. In the modern-day United States, this historical fact has led to a number of cases that put the famous rattlesnake flag banner into a very unpleasant context – racial discrimination.

In 2016, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission got to contemplate a racial harassment complaint from an anonymous employee. A complainant claimed that one of their co-workers once came to work sporting a hat with a Gadsden flag emblem on it. Assumingly, the complainant was African-American and remembering the background of the flag and its creator. They saw the situation as a case of public display of racial hatred. And so the complaint was filed.

The EEOC reasoned that while the Gadsden flag banner itself is not racially discriminative, still, it can be used as such dependent on the context. And although there are law scholars, like Eugene Volokh, who believe that such a conclusion may threaten the freedom of speech granted by the First Amendment, however, more disputes about the yellow rattlesnake banner and the message it can convey are yet to come.

For instance, there was the case in New Haven, Connecticut, where a vice-president of the International Association of the Black Firefighters, responding to a racial discrimination complaint, removed the Gadsden flag banner from the fire department flagpole stating that it was just as racist as the Confederate Battle Flag that is often used by white supremacy groups in the US.

However weird and historically unfair it may seem, there is a certain amount of truth to that. It is enough to remember the tragic shootings that took place in Las Vegas in 2014. Having fatally shot two police officers, the perpetrators placed a swastika onto one of them and hung a rattlesnake banner on the crime scene. It is not completely clear whether the murderers identified themselves with the far-right extremists or viewed the policemen as such. But their actions put the Gadsden flag into a controversial context.

The Conversation Ongoing

The US has a lot of opponents abroad, but the main opponent of citizens are their authorities. Rulers can tread their nation without noticing it. That is why we should be alert and forceful when our rights are in danger.

Americans are those who value their freedom and protect it from wrong decisions of the ruling party. The Gadsden Flag is the thing that taught Americans to fight for freedom and justice.

The government will always remember how every member of the colonies battled in revolution, and they will know that Americans cannot forgive a betray from authorities.

Thomas Jefferson said still relevant words about the freedom of the population. He believed that people should not be afraid of the authorities. They should scare the government to achieve freedom and avoid tyranny.

The recent situation in Washington when Donald Trump supporters stormed Capitol demonstrated that Americans are ready to declare their opinion about politics. During the demonstration near the Capitol, in favor of the vice president, citizens were carrying various flags, for example, the Confederate Battle Flag and the Gadsden flag. It means that Christopher Gadsden made a valuable contribution to the development of civic consciousness and protests in America.

Conclusion

It’s been ages since the US was only a bunch of separated colonies resembling the severed serpent – weak and defenseless. Today, this nation is still bearing a resemblance to a rattlesnake emblem flag – calm but ready to attack and protect whatever it holds dear.

This is why – despite the aforementioned controversies – the Gadsden banner means so much to a lot of Americans. Apart from misguiding accusations and false insinuations, this banner flag stands for what originally made America what it is now: liberty, independence, self-support, and resolution to accept challenges and fight. Whether against the hardships of everyday life, foreign aggressors, or, if there’s a need, against domestic tyrants.

It is not at all a flag of hostility but a flag showing Americans for what they historically are – the survivalist nation.

Frequently Asked Questions – FAQ

What is the Origin of Don’t Tread On Me?

The Don’t-tread-on-me flag banner was created by the Continental Congress member colonel Gadsden in 1775. South Carolina representative introduced his banner to be accepted as the military standard during the Revolution.

What Branch of the Military is Don’t Tread On Me?

Since 1778, the rattlesnake image of flags has been used as the element of the Seal of the United States military forces. But originally, the don’t-tread-on-me banner was used by the US Marine corps during the fight against British oppression.

Where Can I Buy a Don’t-Tread-On-Me Flag Near me?

You can buy the rattlesnake flag banner almost everywhere these days: from hypermarkets like Walmart to online shops like Amazon. You can also look for these flags in military stores.

What Does “No Step on SNEK” Mean?

“No step on sneak” is a sort of oversimplified and distorted manner of saying, “Don’t step on the snake.” This is a bad-English parody take on the famous slogan “Don’t tread on me” written on the Gadsden flag banner depicting an uptight rattlesnake with its mouth open, ready to bite.