Benjamin Franklin published the newspaper cartoon “Join, or Die” in 1754. It showed a snake cut into sections, each labeled with an abbreviation for a British American colony or region.
Franklin printed the image in the Pennsylvania Gazette on May 9, 1754, during rising conflict between Britain and France in North America. The cartoon urged the colonies to cooperate for mutual defense. At the time, it addressed colonial unity rather than independence from Britain.
The image was reused during the American Revolution, when its message took on a new meaning. Patriots adapted the slogan to encourage resistance against British rule and cooperation among the colonies. The cartoon’s changing political use illustrates how symbols can acquire new meanings during major historical events.
“Join, or Die” is often confused with later revolutionary pamphlets. Thomas Paine wrote Common Sense in 1776, while Franklin’s cartoon predates the Declaration of Independence by more than two decades. Its early call for unity makes it a notable precursor to the political cooperation remembered in America250 history.