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 [sic].

Gadsden flag, historical flag used by Commodore Esek Hopkins, the United States’ first naval commander in chief, as his personal ensign during the American Revolution (1775–83). The flag features a coiled rattlesnake above the words “Don’t Tread on Me” on a yellow background.

The Gadsden Flag was intentionally designed not to convey a racist message, but a patriotic one. Here are a few notes on the flag’s symbolism, written by his friend and colleague, Ben Franklin.

2016年10月2日 · The Gadsden flag is just the latest example that disagreements and ambiguity do not undermine the emotional power of a symbol. Sometimes, in fact, they are its source.

2023年8月30日 · The Gadsden flag has been "grabbed as a potent symbol by the far right and small government activists" according to one historian.

2023年8月31日 · The meaning behind the Gadsden flag, first conceived to symbolize resistance to tyranny during America’s war for independence, is being debated after a seventh-grader in Colorado was reprimanded by school officials for displaying a patch of the flag on his backpack.

A flag, known as the Gadsden Flag, with an origin as entwined and intricate as the rattler itself. The history holds so much more than just a symbol; it is stenciled with the chronicles of revolt, resolution, and resilience.

2021年1月8日 · Flown by many protesters at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, the Gadsden flag has a design that is simple and graphic: a coiled rattlesnake on a yellow field with the text “Don’t Tread On Me.”

2022年7月29日 · The Gadsden flag, with its famous depiction of a defensive timber rattlesnake and the motto “Don’t tread on me,” has commonly been associated with the liberty movement, the values of individual freedom, and opposition to coercion.

2019年8月29日 · The bright yellow Gadsden flag, long a symbol of support for civil liberties and disagreement with government, has its beginning deeply rooted in the days of the American Revolution.