The First American Political Cartoon - 9 May 1754

CARTOON

The first American political cartoon appeared in Benjamin Franklin's newspaper The Pennsylvania Gazette on this date in 1754. It appeared as part of a Franklin editorial on "the present disunited state of the British Colonies."

The woodcut drawing, captioned "JOIN, or DIE.," pictures a snake divided in eight pieces representing the colonial governments. The drawing was based on the popular superstition that a snake that had been cut in two would come to life if the pieces were joined before sunset.

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Slowpoke Rodrigo...he pack a gon...

I voted for the Neal Knox 13

I'll see you at the TFL End Of Summer Meet!

[This message has been edited by Slowpoke_Rodrigo (edited May 09, 2000).]
 
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