 |
|  |
 |
 |
| Gadsden Flag History | There are two popularly suggested origins for the Gadsden Flag. The first gives South Carolina's Colonel Christopher Gadsden credit for submitting the flag, which he saw and liked but had not made, to the Provincial Congress of South Carolina.
The other credits Philip Gadsden, also of South Carolina with presenting the flag to the Second Continental Congress in 1776. Greater consensus surrounds the flag's later history. It began its career in the Navy aboard Commodore Esek Hopkins' ships in 1776, and saw the first Navy and Marine battle at Fort Nassau on New Providence Island. It later became the Marine snake flag and was painted on drums at the Corps' first landing. Flags with yellow backgrounds usually indicate infectious illness, and the image of contagious rebellion and democracy was an especially powerful accent to the rattlesnake's ferocity and individualism.
The most obvious reason for this is that the rattlesnake was only found in the American Colonies (and in abundance, to the dismay of settlers) and nowhere else in the world. The origin of the slogan (Don't Tread On Me) pertains to the snake's deadly strike and the idea that it is best to leave them alone.
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
