< The Bewildered Sentry: Constantin Alajálov
ROBBIE PORTER – rebuilding japan ^
“Join, or Die” was the caption marking the editorial illustration of a serpent that has been cut into eight pieces. Each of these pieces was marked to indicate one of the 8 colonies. This piece created by Benjamin Franklin, on May 9th, 1754, was used with his written column about the disunity of the colonies. The illustration was an ideal tool to show the early colonies how they needed to be united as they were in the middle of the French and Indian war. This piece today does not have the same impact that it did back then as in those days may believed the folklore that had stated, “ a snake that had been cut into pieces could come back to life if you joined the sections together before sunset”. (Whitten, 2001) The parallel was ideal, as the colonies were not united at the time. This image is known for being Americas first political cartoon.