Gadsden flag: Difference between revisions

Gadsden flag
Use	Banner
Proportion	Not specified
Adopted	1778
Design	A yellow banner charged with a yellow coiled timber rattlesnake facing towards the hoist sitting upon a patch of green grass, the words "Dont Tread on Me" positioned below the snake in black.
Designed by	Christopher Gadsden

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The Gadsden flag is a historical American flag with a yellow field depicting a timber rattlesnake^[1]^[2] coiled and ready to strike. Beneath the rattlesnake are the words: "Dont Tread on Me".^{[note 1]} Some modern versions of the flag include an apostrophe.

The flag is named after American general and politician Christopher Gadsden (1724–1805), who designed it in 1775 during the American Revolution. It was used by the Continental Marines as an early motto flag, along with the Moultrie flag. It is often used in the United States by conservatives as a symbol for gun rights, American patriotism, individual liberties and disagreement with government intervention.^[4]^[5]^[6]

History

Serpentine symbolism

The timber rattlesnake can be found in the area of the original Thirteen Colonies. Its use as a symbol of the American colonies can be traced back to the publications of Benjamin Franklin. In 1751, he made the first reference to the rattlesnake in a satirical commentary published in his Pennsylvania Gazette. It had been the policy of Parliament to send convicted criminals to the Americas (primarily Georgia), so Franklin suggested that they thank them by sending rattlesnakes to Britain.^[7]

In 1754, during the French and Indian War, Franklin published his famous woodcut of a snake cut into eight sections. It represented the colonies, with New England joined together as the head and South Carolina as the tail, following their order along the coast. Under the snake was the message "Join, or Die". This was the first political cartoon published in an American newspaper.^{[citation needed]}

In 1774, Paul Revere added Franklin's iconic cartoon to the nameplate of Isaiah Thomas' paper, the Massachusetts Spy, depicted there as fighting a British Griffin.^[8]

In December 1775, Benjamin Franklin published an essay in the Pennsylvania Journal under the pseudonym American Guesser in which he suggested that the rattlesnake was a good symbol for the American spirit.^{[citation needed]}

The rattlesnake symbol was first officially adopted by the Continental Congress in 1778 when it approved the design for the official Seal of the War Office^{[citation needed]}. At the top center of the Seal is a rattlesnake holding a banner that says: "This We'll Defend". This design of the War Office Seal was carried forward—with some minor modifications—into the subsequent designs as well as the Department of the Army's Seal, Emblem and Flag^{[citation needed]}. As such, some variation of a rattlesnake symbol has been in continuous official use by the US Army for over 236 years.

Gadsden's flag

In fall 1775, the Continental Navy was established by General George Washington in his role as Commander in Chief of all Continental Forces, before Esek Hopkins was named Commodore of the Navy. The Navy began with seven ships, often called "Washington Cruisers", that flew the "Liberty Tree Flag", depicting a green pine tree with the motto "An Appeal to Heaven". This is according to the October 20, 1775, letter of Washington's aide Colonel Joseph Reed, which is stored in the Library of Congress.^{[citation needed]}

Those first ships were used to intercept incoming transport ships carrying war supplies to the British in the colonies in order to supply the Continental Army, which was desperately undersupplied in the opening years of the American Revolutionary War. One ship captured by Captain John Manley had 30,000 pairs of shoes on it. However, the admiralty agent demanded his 2+1⁄2 per cent commission before he would release the cargo for Washington's army, so many soldiers marched barefoot in the snow. To aid in this, the Second Continental Congress authorized the mustering of five companies of Marines to accompany the Navy on their first mission. The first Marines enlisted in the city of Philadelphia and carried drums painted yellow and depicting a coiled rattlesnake with thirteen rattles along with the motto "Don't Tread on Me." This is the first recorded mention of the future Gadsden flag's symbolism.^{[citation needed]}

At the Congress, Continental Colonel Christopher Gadsden represented his home state of South Carolina. He was one of seven members of the Marine Committee who were outfitting the first naval mission.^[9]^: 289

Before the departure of that first mission in December 1775, the newly appointed commander-in-chief of the Navy, Commodore Esek Hopkins, received the yellow rattlesnake flag from Gadsden to serve as the distinctive personal standard of his flagship. It was displayed at the mainmast.^[9]^: 289 Hopkins had previously led The United Companies of the Train of Artillery of the Town of Providence, before being appointed to lead the Navy. The 1775 flag of the Providence Train of Artillery's featured a coiled timber rattlesnake and the motto "Do Not Tread on Me" along with an anchor, cannons and the motto "In God We Hope" on a gold background.^[10] The flag presented to Hopkins as Commander of the Continental Navy is a simplified version of that design.

Gadsden also presented a copy of this flag to the Congress of South Carolina in Charleston, South Carolina. This was recorded in the South Carolina congressional journals on February 9, 1776:

Col. Gadsden presented to the Congress an elegant standard, such as is to be used by the commander in chief of the American Navy; being a yellow field, with a lively representation of a rattlesnake in the middle in the attitude of going to strike and these words underneath, "Don't tread on me."^[11]

Variations in appearance

Many variations of the Gadsden flag exist:

The motto sometimes includes an apostrophe in the word "Don't" and sometimes does not. Early written discussions uniformly include an apostrophe; however, as early as 1917, a flag reference book includes a picture of a version without the apostrophe.^[9]^: 339
The typeface used for the motto is sometimes a serif typeface and other times sans-serif.
The rattlesnake sometimes is shown as resting on a green ground, presumably grassy, and sometimes not. The green grass seems to be a recent addition; representations dating from 1885 and 1917 do not display anything below the rattlesnake.
The rattlesnake usually faces to the left, and the early representations mentioned above face left. However, some versions of the flag show the snake facing to the right.

Other rattlesnake flags

The United Companies of the Train of Artillery of the Town of Providence already used a coiled rattlesnake on a field of gold with the motto "Do Not Tread on Me" on its flag.^{[citation needed]}

The traditional version of the First Navy Jack has an uncoiled rattlesnake and the same motto as the Gadsden flag, on a field of 13 horizontal red and white stripes. This design is associated with the 1775 orders to the first ships of the Continental Navy by Commodore Esek Hopkins directing his vessels to fly a striped Jack and Ensign at their proper places, but the actual design of the First Navy Jack has never been clearly demonstrated.^[12]

The Culpeper Minutemen flag has a coiled rattlesnake and the same motto as the Gadsden flag. It has a white field, rather than yellow, and the additional motto "Liberty or Death" and the name "The Culpeper Minute Men". It is the flag of Virginia volunteers from the Culpeper area.^{[citation needed]}

The John Proctor's Regiment flag of 1st Battalion Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, had a coiled rattlesnake shown on its flag.^[13]

Modern use

Considered one of the first flags of the United States, the flag was later replaced by the current Stars and Stripes (or Old Glory) flag. Since the Revolution, the flag has seen resurgences as a symbol of American patriotism, disagreement with government, or support for civil liberties.

The First Navy Jack, which was not directly related to the Gadsden flag, has been in use by the United States Navy since its beginnings. Unlike the Liberty Tree Flag with the letter by Colonel Joseph Reed that describes it, there is no document that describes the Snake on Stripes flag, only an image by English artist Thomas Hart in the background of a portrait of Commodore Esek Hopkins. In that same painting is a round "tree flag". The triangular Liberty Tree flag is derived from the only surviving tree flag from the Revolution, found in an old trunk in 1993 on Long Island, the 5th Regt. Connecticut Militia. The Snake on Stripes flag was included in a book of flags by Admiral Preble, but later Preble determined the flag not valid, so he removed it from his text. However, the book publisher used the old color plates, so the image was continued in the new edition and subsequently picked up by other publications and Webster's Dictionary.^{[citation needed]}

In preparation for the 1976 bicentennial year, staff officers in the Secretary of the Navy's office sought a powerful image for the Navy's Bicentennial. One Navy officer saw the Snake on Stripes Flag in Webster's Dictionary, so the staff officers ordered a large number to give away as Navy promotional items and then turned to the Naval Historical Center to "get the history". They were told that the flag had probably never flown during the Revolution, based on Admiral Preble's later discoveries, but a decision was made to use the Snake on Stripes Flag, or the "Fake Snake Flag", anyway. Beginning in 1975, commissioned Navy ships flew this Jack in place of the Naval Jack (officially known as the Union Jack, not to be confused with the United Kingdom's flag) at the bow. In 1977, the Secretary of the Navy directed that the ship in active status with the longest total period of active service shall display the First Navy Jack until decommissioned or transferred to inactive service, at which time the flag shall be passed to the next ship in line with appropriate honors. The display of this jack by the oldest ship in the fleet is intended as a form of recognition to promote pride of service, enhance morale, and contribute to the tradition of naval service. USS Enterprise (CVN 65) became the oldest active ship in the United States Navy upon the decommissioning of USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) on May 12, 2009. Enterprise is only the third aircraft carrier ever to hold the honor of flying the First Navy Jack.^[14]

In 1992 the queer Street Patrol group based in San Francisco used a modified version of the Gadsdsen flag rattlesnake as their organisation logo.^[15]

Since the first Patriot Day on September 11, 2002, which commemorates the lives lost in the September 11 attacks, the rattlesnake from the flag is also shown on the US Army's Drill Sergeant Identification Badge.^{[citation needed]}

For historical reasons, the Gadsden flag is still popularly flown in Charleston, South Carolina, the city where Christopher Gadsden first presented the flag and where it was commonly used during the revolution, along with the blue and white crescent flag of pre-Civil War South Carolina.

Beginning in 2009, the Gadsden flag became widely used as a protest symbol by Tea Party protesters nationwide.^[16]^[17] It was also displayed by members of Congress at Tea Party rallies.^[18] Some lawmakers dubbed it a political symbol due to the Tea Party connection^[19] and the political nature of Tea Party supporters.^[20]

The Gadsden flag has become a popular specialty license plate in several states.

As of 2018^[update], the following states offer the option of obtaining a Gadsden flag specialty license plate: Alabama, Arizona, Maryland,^[21] Missouri, Montana,^[22] Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee,^[23] Texas, and Virginia.^[24]^[25]

Use as a political party symbol

Because of these multiple uses, the meaning of the Gadsden Flag is considered to be ambiguous and depends on the context.^[26]^[27]^[28]

Beginning in 2009, the Gadsden Flag was in use by the American Tea Party movement.^[29]^[30]^[19]^[31] It was also displayed by members of Congress at Tea Party movement rallies.^[32] Some lawmakers have called it a "political symbol" because of this association.^[33] The flag is also popular amongst right-wing libertarianism, with many citing it as a symbol for individual rights and limited government.^[34]

Legal cases involving the Gadsden flag

In March 2013, the Gadsden flag was raised at a vacant armory building in New Rochelle, New York without permission from city officials. The city ordered its removal^[35] and the United Veterans Memorial & Patriotic Association, which had maintained the U.S. flag at the armory, filed suit against the city. A federal judge dismissed the case, rejecting the United Veterans' First Amendment argument and ruling that the flagpole in question was city property and thus did not represent private speech.^[36]

Use in the United States workplace

The United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, while acknowledging that the Gadsden flag does not have racist origins, called for a careful investigation to see whether recent uses of the flag had been sufficiently "racially tinged" that it could count as harassment. The EEOC did not make any decision that the Gadsden flag was a "racist symbol", or that wearing a depiction of it constituted racial discrimination. ^[37] ^[38]

Far-right ideology

The Gadsden Flag has also been co-opted as a symbol by far-right groups and individuals. In 2014, the flag was used by Jerad and Amanda Miller, the perpetrators of the 2014 Las Vegas shootings, which killed five people including the Millers.^[39] The Millers reportedly placed the Gadsden Flag and a swastika over the corpse of one of the officers they killed.^[40]^[41]^[42]

During the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021, many of those involved carried the Gadsden Flag and paraded the flag during their occupation of the building, including a woman who was later trampled to death.^[43]^[44] ^[45]

In popular culture

The Gadsden Flag is found across pop culture, especially in videos games or movies whose setting is post-apocalyptic.

During the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol, one of the rioters (Rosanne Boyland) was seen carrying a Gadsden flag with the motto "Don't Tread on Me" before she was trampled to death.^[46]^[47]^[48]
In the boxing movie Rocky IV, Rocky's former trainer Paulie is briefly seen sporting the Gadsden flag adorning the back of his jacket while in Russia.

Athletic apparel company Nike uses the image of a rattlesnake coiled around a soccer ball for an ongoing, patriotic "Don't Tread on Me" campaign in support of the United States men's national soccer team. The phrase has become a rallying cry for American soccer fans and the Gadsden flag can occasionally be seen at national team games. A representation of the rattlesnake is contained on the inside of their uniforms, over the heart, with the initials "D.T.O.M.", which were used in the 2010 World Cup.^[49]

In Hideo Kojima's video game Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, a variation of the flag can be seen on one of the connecting bridges of the "Big Shell" facility, in a reference to both the original meaning and usage of the flag.^[50]

In the apocalyptic 2006 CBS TV drama Jericho, the flag makes several appearances, most notably in the series finale as Jericho's acting mayor takes down the flag of the "Allied States of America", which had been flying at the town hall following a federal coup. He replaces the red, white, and blue flag of the central government with a Gadsden Flag which the previous mayor had kept framed in his office. The scene depicts a once-collaborationist character as finally having summoned the courage to be in open defiance against a supreme government.^[51]

American heavy metal band Metallica recorded a song called "Don't Tread on Me" on their self-titled fifth studio album, released in 1991. The album cover features a dark grey picture of a coiled rattlesnake like the one found on the Gadsden Flag. The song's lyrics refer to political phrases from the American Revolutionary War I
In the hit series The West Wing, Sam Seaborn's office displays the First Navy Jack hanging above his cabinet.

NASCAR driver Carl Edwards displayed the Gadsden Flag next to his facsimile signature on his race car.^[52]

In WWE, the tag team Real Americans, composed by Jack Swagger, Cesaro and the manager Zeb Colter, used the Gadsden Flag and the preamble "We the People". Also, Dolph Ziggler often has the snake as a design on his long wrestling tights.

In the 1979 novel Alongside Night, an organization called the Revolutionary Agorist Cadre, seeking a Second American Revolution, welcomes visitors to one of its undergrounds: "The room's only decoration was a modified Gadsden flag draped on the wall adjoining the bar and medical areas (opposite the door), a golden field with 'LAISSEZ-FAIRE!' in an upper left corner, a coiled rattlesnake facing left with its tongue out, and in the lower right, 'DONT TREAD ON ME!'" The Gadsden flag without the addition of "LAISSEZ-FAIRE!" is carried over into the 2014 Alongside Night movie adaptation in which the Gadsden flag is used by the Revolutionary Agorist Cadre as well as the traditional anarchist black flag.^[53]

A verse from the 1970 song "Uncle John's Band" by the Grateful Dead contains the words "Their walls are built of cannonballs, their motto is 'Don't tread on me'".

The Gadsden flag is represented on the front cover of the Country Ghetto album (2007) by Southern rock band JJ Grey & Mofro with the words "Don't Tread on Me" on the rear of the booklet.

In the video game Red Dead Redemption 2, in the gun store in Rhodes there is a Gadsden Flag hung on a wall.

In the video game Fallout 4, in the Red Rocket settlement, in the main entrance behind the cashier, there's a small office on the left side doorway, in which there's the infamous Benjamin Franklin's "Join, or Die!" poster with the 8-pieces snake.

In the Futurama episode All the Presidents' Heads, Professor Farnsworth discovered a means of time travel using the fluid used to preserve heads and attempted to use it to prevent the nefarious actions of his ancestor David Farnsworth. After the original timeline is restored from one where Britain had won the American Revolutionary War, a modified version of the Gadsden flag featuring Bender and his catchphrase "Bite My Shiny Metal Ass" is displayed in the Head Museum's Hall of Presidents.

In the Simpsons episode "Bart Gets an F", during a dream sequence in which Bart sees the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Benjamin Franklin picks up a sled with a modified version of the flag reading "Don't Sled on Me".

Notes

^ During the 18th century, when contractions were coming into widespread use, they were often written without an apostrophe. The standard form for the contraction of "do not" later came to include the apostrophe.^[3]

References

^ Waser, Thomas. "The Symbolism of the Timber Rattlesnake in Early America". Herpetology Guy (Thomas Waser) on Steemit. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
^ "Timber Rattlesnake Conservation Strategy for Pennsylvania State Forest Lands". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. April 7, 2010. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
^ Robert Lowth, A Short Introduction to English Grammar: With Critical Notes. 1794. pp. 67, 79.
^ Sottile, Leah (August 19, 2020). "Inside the Boogaloo: America's Extremely Online Extremists". The New York Times. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
^ Walker, Rob. "The Shifting Symbolism of the Gadsden Flag". The New Yorker. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
^ "A figure and a flag at the centre of America's Charlottesville culture war". The Independent. July 6, 2019. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
^ Leepson, Marc; DeMille, Nelson (May 30, 2006). Flag: An American Biography. Macmillan. p. 12. ISBN 978-0-312-32309-7. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
^ "A More Perfect Union: Symbolizing the National Union of States". Library of Congress. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
^ ^a ^b ^c Byron McCandless; Gilbert Hovey Grosvenor (1917). Our flag number: with 1197 flags in full colors and 300 additional illustrations in black and white. National Geographic Society. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
^ "Flag of the United Train of Artillery of Providence - The Monticello Classroom". classroom.monticello.org. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
^ Hicks, Frederick Cocks (1918). The flag of the United States. United States Government Printing Office. p. 23. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
^ CDR Michel T. Poirier. "A Brief History of the U.S. Navy Jack". Undersea Warfare Summer 2000 Vol. 2, No. 4. Retrieved July 17, 2019.
^ "A Rattlesnake Flag of the American revolution" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on October 20, 2013. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
^ "Don't Tread on Me Flag History". Retrieved August 18, 2016.
^ Sara Miles. The fabulous fight back. OCLC 556037654.
^
See
- Staff writer (May 26, 2010). "Gadsden flag denied over State Capitol". WTNH. New Haven, Connecticut: Nexstar. Archived from the original on January 13, 2011. Retrieved January 23, 2011.
- Hayes, Ted (May 27, 2010). "'Tea Party' flag rankles some". East Bay Newspapers. Archived from the original on June 11, 2010. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
- Scocca, Tom (June 13, 2010). "Flag daze". The Boston Globe. Retrieved August 2, 2010.
^ Macedo, Diane (April 7, 2010). "Connecticut Marines Fight for 'Don't Tread on Me' Flag Display". Fox News. Retrieved August 2, 2010.
^ "Gadsden Flags Flying Off the Shelves in Support of the Tea Party Tax Protest" (Press release). Marketwire. April 16, 2009. Archived from the original on August 14, 2009. Retrieved July 7, 2009.
^ ^a ^b Cite error: The named reference foxnews1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ "Tea Party flag will not fly at Connecticut Capitol". NECN. April 8, 2010. Retrieved August 2, 2010.
^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on January 31, 2018. Retrieved January 31, 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^ "Service Organizations & Associations".
^ "Friends of Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park". www.friendsofsycamoreshoals.org. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
^ "Seven States Now Offer 'Don't Tread on Me' License Plates; Is Yours on the List? - Tea Party News". Tea Party. Archived from the original on August 12, 2016. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
^ Schwarz, Hunter (August 25, 2014). "States where you can get a 'Don't Tread On Me' license plate". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
^ "The Shifting Symbolism of the Gadsden Flag". The New Yorker. October 2, 2016. Retrieved July 17, 2019.
^ "Conservatives defend Chris Pratt for wearing 'Don't Tread On Me' t-shirt". The Hill. July 17, 2019. Retrieved July 17, 2019.
^ "President Obama Is Banning the 'Don't Tread on Me' Flag?". Snopes. August 5, 2016. Retrieved July 17, 2019.
^ "Gadsden flag denied over State Capitol". Wtnh.com Hartford CT. May 26, 2010. Archived from the original on December 13, 2010. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
^ "Gadsden Flag Now Officially "Offensive" In America". Aipnews.com. Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
^ Scocca, Tom (June 13, 2010). "Flag daze". Boston Globe. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
^ "Gadsden Flags Flying Off the Shelves in Support of the Tea Party movement Tax Protest". Market Wire. April 16, 2009. Archived from the original on August 14, 2009. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
^ "Tea Party movement flag will not fly at Connecticut Capitol". Necn.com. April 8, 2010. Archived from the original on September 5, 2012. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
^ Walker, Rob. "The Shifting Symbolism of the Gadsden Flag". The New Yorker. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
^ "Flag's Believed Ties To Tea Party Lead To Removal From New Rochelle Building". CBS 2 New York. April 22, 2013. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
^ "New Rochelle veterans lose Gadsden flag case". The Journal News / Lohud. December 24, 2014. Retrieved January 8, 2021.
^ https://www.jacksonville.com/reason/fact-check/2016-09-02/story/fact-check-dont-tread-me-flag-racist
^ Feldman, Noah (August 5, 2016). "Is 'Don't tread on me' flag a racial statement?". Miami Herald. Archived from the original on June 8, 2018. Retrieved June 1, 2020.
^ Editors, History com. "Gunman opens fire on Las Vegas concert crowd, wounding hundreds and killing 58". HISTORY. Retrieved November 30, 2020. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
^ "Two Cops, Three Others Killed in Las Vegas Shooting Spree". NBC News. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
^ "Las Vegas Shooters Allegedly Spent Time At Bundy Ranch, Embraced White Supremacy – ThinkProgress". web.archive.org. February 25, 2020. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
^ "Woman trampled to death at U.S. Capitol held flag that read, "Don't tread on me" - REVOLT". Retrieved January 8, 2021.
^ "Yellow Gadsden flag, prominent in Capitol takeover, carries a long and shifting history". January 7, 2021. Retrieved January 7, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
^ "In Photos: The Pro-Trump Mob's Invasion of Congress". The Verge. January 6, 2021. Retrieved January 7, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
^ "In Photos: The Pro-Trump Mob's Invasion of Congress". The Verge. January 6, 2021. Retrieved January 7, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
^ Chheda, Manthan (January 9, 2021). "Trump Supporter Was Carrying a 'Don't Tread on Me' Flag Before Being Trampled to Death at US Capitol". International Business Times. Retrieved January 9, 2021.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
^ Pugh, Hilary (January 8, 2021). "Woman Who Was Trampled To Death At Capitol Coup Had A "DON'T TREAD ON ME" Flag". The Economic Left. Retrieved January 9, 2021.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
^ Staff, Reuters (January 8, 2021). "Trump to blame for death of woman trampled in Capitol riot, family member says". Reuters. Retrieved January 9, 2021. {{cite news}}: |first= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link)
^ "USA Men's Soccer Kit". Archived from the original on October 8, 2011.
^ "Screenshot of Sons of Liberty Flag".
^ "Jericho Video – Jericho – Season 2: Episode 7: Patriots And Tyrants w/ Commentary". CBS. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
^ "Carl Edwards". Joe Gibbs Racing. Archived from the original on March 20, 2016. Retrieved November 17, 2016.
^ "Alongside Night — Chapter XIV « J. Neil Schulman". jneilschulman.agorist.com. Retrieved November 17, 2016.

External links

Template:Wikipedia books Media related to Gadsden flag at Wikimedia Commons

"A Flag of Conviction", The Claremont Institute

[4] During the 18th century, when contractions were coming into widespread use, they were often written without an apostrophe. The standard form for the contraction of "do not" later came to include the apostrophe.^[3]

[herpetology-guy-1] Waser, Thomas. "The Symbolism of the Timber Rattlesnake in Early America". Herpetology Guy (Thomas Waser) on Steemit. Retrieved August 26, 2019.

[dcnr-pa-gov-2] "Timber Rattlesnake Conservation Strategy for Pennsylvania State Forest Lands". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. April 7, 2010. Retrieved August 26, 2019.

[3] Robert Lowth, A Short Introduction to English Grammar: With Critical Notes. 1794. pp. 67, 79.

[5] Sottile, Leah (August 19, 2020). "Inside the Boogaloo: America's Extremely Online Extremists". The New York Times. Retrieved November 7, 2020.

[Walker-6] Walker, Rob. "The Shifting Symbolism of the Gadsden Flag". The New Yorker. Retrieved November 7, 2020.

[7] "A figure and a flag at the centre of America's Charlottesville culture war". The Independent. July 6, 2019. Retrieved November 7, 2020.

[LeepsonDeMille2006-8] Leepson, Marc; DeMille, Nelson (May 30, 2006). Flag: An American Biography. Macmillan. p. 12. ISBN 978-0-312-32309-7. Retrieved August 18, 2016.

[loc-9] "A More Perfect Union: Symbolizing the National Union of States". Library of Congress. Retrieved August 18, 2016.

[natgeo-10] Byron McCandless; Gilbert Hovey Grosvenor (1917). Our flag number: with 1197 flags in full colors and 300 additional illustrations in black and white. National Geographic Society. Retrieved August 18, 2016.

[11] "Flag of the United Train of Artillery of Providence - The Monticello Classroom". classroom.monticello.org. Retrieved April 3, 2018.

[12] Hicks, Frederick Cocks (1918). The flag of the United States. United States Government Printing Office. p. 23. Retrieved August 18, 2016.

[13] CDR Michel T. Poirier. "A Brief History of the U.S. Navy Jack". Undersea Warfare Summer 2000 Vol. 2, No. 4. Retrieved July 17, 2019.

[14] "A Rattlesnake Flag of the American revolution" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on October 20, 2013. Retrieved August 18, 2016.

[15] "Don't Tread on Me Flag History". Retrieved August 18, 2016.

[16] Sara Miles. The fabulous fight back. OCLC 556037654.

[17] See
Staff writer (May 26, 2010). "Gadsden flag denied over State Capitol". WTNH. New Haven, Connecticut: Nexstar. Archived from the original on January 13, 2011. Retrieved January 23, 2011.

Hayes, Ted (May 27, 2010). "'Tea Party' flag rankles some". East Bay Newspapers. Archived from the original on June 11, 2010. Retrieved September 7, 2011.

Scocca, Tom (June 13, 2010). "Flag daze". The Boston Globe. Retrieved August 2, 2010.

[18] Staff writer (May 26, 2010). "Gadsden flag denied over State Capitol". WTNH. New Haven, Connecticut: Nexstar. Archived from the original on January 13, 2011. Retrieved January 23, 2011.

[19] Hayes, Ted (May 27, 2010). "'Tea Party' flag rankles some". East Bay Newspapers. Archived from the original on June 11, 2010. Retrieved September 7, 2011.

[20] Scocca, Tom (June 13, 2010). "Flag daze". The Boston Globe. Retrieved August 2, 2010.

[foxnews2-18] Macedo, Diane (April 7, 2010). "Connecticut Marines Fight for 'Don't Tread on Me' Flag Display". Fox News. Retrieved August 2, 2010.

[19] "Gadsden Flags Flying Off the Shelves in Support of the Tea Party Tax Protest" (Press release). Marketwire. April 16, 2009. Archived from the original on August 14, 2009. Retrieved July 7, 2009.

[foxnews1-20] Cite error: The named reference foxnews1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[21] "Tea Party flag will not fly at Connecticut Capitol". NECN. April 8, 2010. Retrieved August 2, 2010.

[22] "Archived copy". Archived from the original on January 31, 2018. Retrieved January 31, 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

[23] "Service Organizations & Associations".

[24] "Friends of Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park". www.friendsofsycamoreshoals.org. Retrieved December 29, 2016.

[25] "Seven States Now Offer 'Don't Tread on Me' License Plates; Is Yours on the List? - Tea Party News". Tea Party. Archived from the original on August 12, 2016. Retrieved August 18, 2016.

[26] Schwarz, Hunter (August 25, 2014). "States where you can get a 'Don't Tread On Me' license plate". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved August 18, 2016.

[27] "The Shifting Symbolism of the Gadsden Flag". The New Yorker. October 2, 2016. Retrieved July 17, 2019.

[28] "Conservatives defend Chris Pratt for wearing 'Don't Tread On Me' t-shirt". The Hill. July 17, 2019. Retrieved July 17, 2019.

[29] "President Obama Is Banning the 'Don't Tread on Me' Flag?". Snopes. August 5, 2016. Retrieved July 17, 2019.

[30] "Gadsden flag denied over State Capitol". Wtnh.com Hartford CT. May 26, 2010. Archived from the original on December 13, 2010. Retrieved August 18, 2016.

[31] "Gadsden Flag Now Officially "Offensive" In America". Aipnews.com. Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved August 18, 2016.

[32] Scocca, Tom (June 13, 2010). "Flag daze". Boston Globe. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved August 18, 2016.

[33] "Gadsden Flags Flying Off the Shelves in Support of the Tea Party movement Tax Protest". Market Wire. April 16, 2009. Archived from the original on August 14, 2009. Retrieved August 18, 2016.

[34] "Tea Party movement flag will not fly at Connecticut Capitol". Necn.com. April 8, 2010. Archived from the original on September 5, 2012. Retrieved August 18, 2016.

[35] Walker, Rob. "The Shifting Symbolism of the Gadsden Flag". The New Yorker. Retrieved December 8, 2020.

[36] "Flag's Believed Ties To Tea Party Lead To Removal From New Rochelle Building". CBS 2 New York. April 22, 2013. Retrieved August 18, 2016.

[newrochelle-37] "New Rochelle veterans lose Gadsden flag case". The Journal News / Lohud. December 24, 2014. Retrieved January 8, 2021.

[38] ttps://www.jacksonville.com/reason/fact-check/2016-09-02/story/fact-check-dont-tread-me-flag-racist

[39] Feldman, Noah (August 5, 2016). "Is 'Don't tread on me' flag a racial statement?". Miami Herald. Archived from the original on June 8, 2018. Retrieved June 1, 2020.

[40] Editors, History com. "Gunman opens fire on Las Vegas concert crowd, wounding hundreds and killing 58". HISTORY. Retrieved November 30, 2020. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)

[41] "Two Cops, Three Others Killed in Las Vegas Shooting Spree". NBC News. Retrieved November 30, 2020.

[42] "Las Vegas Shooters Allegedly Spent Time At Bundy Ranch, Embraced White Supremacy – ThinkProgress". web.archive.org. February 25, 2020. Retrieved November 30, 2020.

[Revolt_Boyland-43] "Woman trampled to death at U.S. Capitol held flag that read, "Don't tread on me" - REVOLT". Retrieved January 8, 2021.

[44] "Yellow Gadsden flag, prominent in Capitol takeover, carries a long and shifting history". January 7, 2021. Retrieved January 7, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

[45] "In Photos: The Pro-Trump Mob's Invasion of Congress". The Verge. January 6, 2021. Retrieved January 7, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

[46] "In Photos: The Pro-Trump Mob's Invasion of Congress". The Verge. January 6, 2021. Retrieved January 7, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

[47] Chheda, Manthan (January 9, 2021). "Trump Supporter Was Carrying a 'Don't Tread on Me' Flag Before Being Trampled to Death at US Capitol". International Business Times. Retrieved January 9, 2021.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

[48] Pugh, Hilary (January 8, 2021). "Woman Who Was Trampled To Death At Capitol Coup Had A "DON'T TREAD ON ME" Flag". The Economic Left. Retrieved January 9, 2021.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

[49] Staff, Reuters (January 8, 2021). "Trump to blame for death of woman trampled in Capitol riot, family member says". Reuters. Retrieved January 9, 2021. {{cite news}}: |first= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link)

[50] "USA Men's Soccer Kit". Archived from the original on October 8, 2011.

[51] "Screenshot of Sons of Liberty Flag".

[52] "Jericho Video – Jericho – Season 2: Episode 7: Patriots And Tyrants w/ Commentary". CBS. Retrieved August 18, 2016.

[53] "Carl Edwards". Joe Gibbs Racing. Archived from the original on March 20, 2016. Retrieved November 17, 2016.

[54] "Alongside Night — Chapter XIV « J. Neil Schulman". jneilschulman.agorist.com. Retrieved November 17, 2016.

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@@ Line 85: / Line 85: @@
 * {{cite news |last=Scocca |first=Tom |url=http://archive.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2010/06/13/flag_daze/ |title=Flag daze |work=[[The Boston Globe]] |date=June 13, 2010 |access-date=August 2, 2010 }}</ref><ref name="foxnews2">{{cite news| last = Macedo | first = Diane |title=Connecticut Marines Fight for 'Don't Tread on Me' Flag Display |url=http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/06/28/connecticut-marines-fight-dont-trend-flag-display/ |work=[[Fox News]] |date=April 7, 2010 |access-date=August 2, 2010}}</ref> It was also displayed by members of Congress at Tea Party rallies.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS197716+16-Apr-2009+MW20090416|title=Gadsden Flags Flying Off the Shelves in Support of the Tea Party Tax Protest|access-date=July 7, 2009|publisher=[[Marketwire]]|date=April 16, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090814025505/https://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS197716+16-Apr-2009+MW20090416|archive-date=August 14, 2009}}</ref> Some lawmakers dubbed it a political symbol due to the Tea Party connection<ref name="foxnews1"/> and the political nature of Tea Party supporters.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.necn.com/news/new-england/_NECN__Tea_Party_Flag_Will_Not_Fly_at_Connecticut_Capitol_NECN-247451121.html|title=Tea Party flag will not fly at Connecticut Capitol|publisher=[[NECN]]|date=April 8, 2010|access-date=August 2, 2010}}</ref>
-=== License plates ===
 [[File:Gadsden Flag License Plate by State.svg|thumb|Map of states (colored yellow) that offer Gadsden flag specialty license plates]]
 The Gadsden flag has become a popular specialty [[Vehicle registration plate|license plate]] in several states.
@@ Line 91: / Line 90: @@
 {{As of|2018}}, the following states offer the option of obtaining a Gadsden flag specialty license plate: [[Alabama]], [[Arizona]], [[Maryland]],<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.mva.maryland.gov/vehicles/_images/plates/organizational/Gadsden-Pew-Club.gif |title=Archived copy |access-date=January 31, 2018 |archive-date=January 31, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180131200644/http://www.mva.maryland.gov/vehicles/_images/plates/organizational/Gadsden-Pew-Club.gif |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Missouri]], [[Montana]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://dojmt.gov/driving/plate-designs-and-fees/service-organizations-associations/|title=Service Organizations & Associations}}</ref> [[Oklahoma]], [[South Carolina]], [[Tennessee]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.friendsofsycamoreshoals.org/gadsden_plate.html|title=Friends of Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park|website=www.friendsofsycamoreshoals.org|access-date=2016-12-29}}</ref> [[Texas]], and [[Virginia]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.teaparty.org/seven-states-now-offer-dont-tread-license-plates-list-52858/ |title=Seven States Now Offer 'Don't Tread on Me' License Plates; Is Yours on the List? - Tea Party News |website=Tea Party |language=en-US |access-date=August 18, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160812181613/http://www.teaparty.org/seven-states-now-offer-dont-tread-license-plates-list-52858/ |archive-date=August 12, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govbeat/wp/2014/08/25/states-where-you-can-get-a-dont-tread-on-me-license-plate/ |title=States where you can get a 'Don't Tread On Me' license plate |last=Schwarz |first=Hunter |date=August 25, 2014 |newspaper=The Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286|access-date=August 18, 2016}}</ref>
-===Political party symbol===
+===Use as a political party symbol===
 Because of these multiple uses, the meaning of the Gadsden Flag is considered to be ambiguous and depends on the context.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/the-shifting-symbolism-of-the-gadsden-flag |title=The Shifting Symbolism of the Gadsden Flag |publisher=The New Yorker|date=October 2, 2016 |access-date=July 17, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/in-the-know/453488-conservatives-defend-chris-pratt-for-wearing-dont-tread-on-me |title=Conservatives defend Chris Pratt for wearing 'Don't Tread On Me' t-shirt |publisher=The Hill|date=July 17, 2019 |access-date=July 17, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/president-obama-is-banning-the-dont-tread-on-me-flag/ |title=President Obama Is Banning the 'Don't Tread on Me' Flag? |publisher=Snopes|date=August 5, 2016 |access-date=July 17, 2019}}</ref>
 [[File:Sept 12, 2009 - Tea Party Tax Payer Protest, Washington DC.jpg|thumb|The flag at a [[Tea Party movement|Tea Party]] rally in September 2009]]
-Beginning in 2009, the Gadsden Flag has been co-opted by the American Tea Party movement.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wtnh.com/dpp/news/hartford_cty/gadsden-flag-denied-over-state-capitol |title=Gadsden flag denied over State Capitol |publisher=Wtnh.com Hartford CT|date=May 26, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101213150159/http://www.wtnh.com/dpp/news/hartford_cty/gadsden-flag-denied-over-state-capitol |archive-date=December 13, 2010 |access-date=August 18, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.aipnews.com/talk/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=14555&posts=3 |title=Gadsden Flag Now Officially "Offensive" In America |publisher=Aipnews.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717200926/http://www.aipnews.com/talk/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=14555&posts=3 |archive-date=July 17, 2011 |access-date=August 18, 2016}}</ref><ref name="foxnews1"/><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2010/06/13/flag_daze/ |title=Flag daze |work=Boston Globe |date=June 13, 2010 |first=Tom |last=Scocca |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304230412/http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2010/06/13/flag_daze/ |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |access-date=August 18, 2016 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> It was also displayed by members of Congress at Tea Party movement rallies.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS197716+16-Apr-2009+MW20090416 |title=Gadsden Flags Flying Off the Shelves in Support of the Tea Party movement Tax Protest |publisher=Market Wire |date=April 16, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090814025505/https://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS197716+16-Apr-2009+MW20090416 |archive-date=August 14, 2009 |access-date=August 18, 2016}}</ref> Some lawmakers have called it a "political symbol" because of this association.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.necn.com/04/08/10/Tea-Party-flag-will-not-fly-at-Connectic/landing.html?blockID=212620&feedID=4215 |title=Tea Party movement flag will not fly at Connecticut Capitol |publisher=Necn.com |date=April 8, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.is/20120905160458/http://www.necn.com/04/08/10/Tea-Party-flag-will-not-fly-at-Connectic/landing.html?blockID=212620&feedID=4215 |archive-date=September 5, 2012 |access-date=August 18, 2016 |df=mdy }}</ref> The flag is also popular amongst [[right-wing libertarianism]], with many citing it as a symbol for individual rights and limited government.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Walker|first=Rob|title=The Shifting Symbolism of the Gadsden Flag|url=https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/the-shifting-symbolism-of-the-gadsden-flag|access-date=2020-12-08|website=The New Yorker|language=en-us}}</ref>
+Beginning in 2009, the Gadsden Flag was in use by the American Tea Party movement.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wtnh.com/dpp/news/hartford_cty/gadsden-flag-denied-over-state-capitol |title=Gadsden flag denied over State Capitol |publisher=Wtnh.com Hartford CT|date=May 26, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101213150159/http://www.wtnh.com/dpp/news/hartford_cty/gadsden-flag-denied-over-state-capitol |archive-date=December 13, 2010 |access-date=August 18, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.aipnews.com/talk/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=14555&posts=3 |title=Gadsden Flag Now Officially "Offensive" In America |publisher=Aipnews.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717200926/http://www.aipnews.com/talk/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=14555&posts=3 |archive-date=July 17, 2011 |access-date=August 18, 2016}}</ref><ref name="foxnews1"/><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2010/06/13/flag_daze/ |title=Flag daze |work=Boston Globe |date=June 13, 2010 |first=Tom |last=Scocca |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304230412/http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2010/06/13/flag_daze/ |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |access-date=August 18, 2016 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> It was also displayed by members of Congress at Tea Party movement rallies.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS197716+16-Apr-2009+MW20090416 |title=Gadsden Flags Flying Off the Shelves in Support of the Tea Party movement Tax Protest |publisher=Market Wire |date=April 16, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090814025505/https://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS197716+16-Apr-2009+MW20090416 |archive-date=August 14, 2009 |access-date=August 18, 2016}}</ref> Some lawmakers have called it a "political symbol" because of this association.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.necn.com/04/08/10/Tea-Party-flag-will-not-fly-at-Connectic/landing.html?blockID=212620&feedID=4215 |title=Tea Party movement flag will not fly at Connecticut Capitol |publisher=Necn.com |date=April 8, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.is/20120905160458/http://www.necn.com/04/08/10/Tea-Party-flag-will-not-fly-at-Connectic/landing.html?blockID=212620&feedID=4215 |archive-date=September 5, 2012 |access-date=August 18, 2016 |df=mdy }}</ref> The flag is also popular amongst [[right-wing libertarianism]], with many citing it as a symbol for individual rights and limited government.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Walker|first=Rob|title=The Shifting Symbolism of the Gadsden Flag|url=https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/the-shifting-symbolism-of-the-gadsden-flag|access-date=2020-12-08|website=The New Yorker|language=en-us}}</ref>
+==Legal cases involving the Gadsden flag==
 In March 2013, the Gadsden flag was raised at a vacant armory building in [[New Rochelle, New York]] without permission from city officials. The city ordered its removal<ref>{{cite news |url=http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2013/04/22/flags-believed-ties-to-tea-party-leads-to-removal-from-new-rochelle-building/ |title=Flag's Believed Ties To Tea Party Lead To Removal From New Rochelle Building |publisher=CBS 2 New York |date=April 22, 2013 |access-date=August 18, 2016}}</ref> and the United Veterans Memorial & Patriotic Association, which had maintained the U.S. flag at the armory, filed suit against the city. A federal judge dismissed the case, rejecting the United Veterans' First Amendment argument and ruling that the flagpole in question was city property and thus did not represent private speech.<ref name="newrochelle">{{cite news |url=https://www.lohud.com/story/news/politics/2014/12/24/new-rochelle-veterans-lose-gadsden-flag-case/20878639/ |title=New Rochelle veterans lose Gadsden flag case |publisher=The Journal News / Lohud |date=December 24, 2014 |access-date=January 8, 2021}}</ref>
 ===Use in the United States workplace===
-The United States [[Equal Employment Opportunity Commission]], while acknowledging that the Gadsden flag (which dates to the American Revolution) does not have racist origins, called for a careful investigation to see whether recent uses of the flag had been sufficiently "racially tinged" that it could count as harassment. The EEOC did not make any decision that the Gadsden flag was a "racist symbol", or that wearing a depiction of it constituted racial discrimination. <ref>https://www.jacksonville.com/reason/fact-check/2016-09-02/story/fact-check-dont-tread-me-flag-racist</ref> <ref>{{Cite news|last=Feldman|first=Noah|author-link=Noah Feldman|date=August 5, 2016|title=Is 'Don't tread on me' flag a racial statement?|newspaper=[[Miami Herald]]|url=https://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/op-ed/article94090357.html|url-status=live|access-date=2020-06-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180608084523/http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/op-ed/article94090357.html | archive-date=2018-06-08   }}</ref>
+The United States [[Equal Employment Opportunity Commission]], while acknowledging that the Gadsden flag  does not have racist origins, called for a careful investigation to see whether recent uses of the flag had been sufficiently "racially tinged" that it could count as harassment. The EEOC did not make any decision that the Gadsden flag was a "racist symbol", or that wearing a depiction of it constituted racial discrimination. <ref>https://www.jacksonville.com/reason/fact-check/2016-09-02/story/fact-check-dont-tread-me-flag-racist</ref> <ref>{{Cite news|last=Feldman|first=Noah|author-link=Noah Feldman|date=August 5, 2016|title=Is 'Don't tread on me' flag a racial statement?|newspaper=[[Miami Herald]]|url=https://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/op-ed/article94090357.html|url-status=live|access-date=2020-06-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180608084523/http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/op-ed/article94090357.html | archive-date=2018-06-08   }}</ref>
 === Far-right ideology ===