Join, or die

Join, or die. Truer words have never been spoken. The image above, originally published in the Pennsylvania Gazette by Benjamin Franklin during the French and Indian war, is the perfect way to portray the mindset that the colonists had to have in order to survive and thrive. The serpent is divided into eight parts, with each part representing a British American colony or region (save for Georgia and Delaware, which were colonies that were ommited completely). The political cartoon was meant to depict the importance of colonial unity, during a time when each colony mostly kept to itself and was independent. The cartoon was recycled during the time of the American Revolution, again to stress the monumental importance of unity among the colonies if they had any hope of defeating the British and obtaining freedom. This picture became a symbol of democracy and freedom during the war, and is just one of many examples of how journalism played an important part in "Sowing the Seeds of Revolution".