The “Join or Die” Cartoon by Benjamin Franklin

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Benjamin Franklin’s Cartoon Join or Die
Conclusion
References

Introduction

Benjamin Franklin drew a satirical cartoon and woodblock titled Join or Die in 1754. At the onset of the French and Indian War, it was intended to unify the American colonies against the French and their Native allies. It is claimed to be the earliest political cartoon advocating colonial union. The depiction of the snake sliced into bits is said to have been created by Franklin, but the painter is unidentified (Kulikoff, 2017). The humor in this cartoon turned out to be an example of how the colonies are divided in the form of a snake. This work was written with the aim of reviewing the political cartoon and its context.

Benjamin Franklin’s Cartoon Join or Die

Franklin intended to bring the colonists together in order to fight the French and their Native American allies, as well as persuade the British government to establish a unified colonial administration in America. He did not accomplish his goal, but the image was so compelling that it took a life of its own (Cammiade, 2020). Colonists used it as a sign of their solidarity against British authority a few years later, in the run-up to the Revolutionary War.

The name of the artist who made the image is unknown; however, it is possible that the notion was inspired by an artwork in a French book that depicted a snake sliced in half with the tagline. Although it was intended for the French and Indian War, Join or Die became a potent emblem of colonial resistance to the Stamp Act and other British taxation, which consequently resulted in the Revolutionary War (Cammiade, 2020). It is perhaps one of the most famous pictures of colonial attitudes toward the British. When the image and tale appeared in other colonial journals, Franklin’s message touched a nerve.

Furthermore, the chopped snake image might have been inspired by the legend of the time, such as the notion that a snake chopped into parts could be resurrected if its different parts were reconnected before sunset. Because snakes lose their skins, the metaphor of a snake might have symbolized resurrection or regeneration, or it could have been based on the folklore of the period that said a snake torn into pieces could be resurrected if the fragments were rejoined before sunset.

The message of the political cartoon is to show the disunity of the Thirteen Colonies during the French and Indian War. Franklin used the drawing to achieve a specific political goal. He was planning to attend the Albany Congress with other colonial officials to debate how to cope with the mounting military danger posed by the French and their Native American allies. Franklin believed that the provinces needed to form a powerful alliance (Cammiade, 2020). He envisaged a united colonial administration that could charge taxes and establish a military overseen by a committee of members from each colony and led by a British monarch-appointed President General.

The dismembered snake cartoon was quickly republished by more than a half-dozen other colonial publications, giving Franklin’s persuasive effort a boost. He delivered a copy of the cartoon, along with his commentary, to Richard Partridge, a Quaker businessman who served as colonial Pennsylvania’s ambassador in London (Kulikoff, 2017). However, he did appear to want to reach out to a different prominent readership on the other side of the Atlantic.

Conclusion

To summarize, Franklin’s goal was to unite the colonists against the French and their Native American allies, as well as encourage the British government to establish a united provincial organization in America. The sliced snake picture could have been influenced by a famous tale of the period, such as the idea that a snake cut into pieces could be revived if the pieces were reunited before sunset. The eight-pieced snake in the picture represented the British colonies, and Franklin’s message resonated when the graphic and story appeared in other colonial publications.

References

Cammiade, A. (2020). Franklin and the War of American Independence. Routledge.

Kulikoff, A. (2017). Benjamin Franklin and the Theater of Empire.Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, 141(1), 77-90.

Mountain Lake PBS. (2009). Passage minute – Join or die [Video]. YouTube.

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The “Join or Die” Cartoon by Benjamin Franklin

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