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American history has another important representation that many do not know the meaning of – the “Don’t Tread on Me” flag. Americans are proud and protective of the freedom they have, sometimes even referring to themselves as the world’s freest country. The “Don’t Tread on Me” flag represents a period in history when the United States was still fighting for independence from Great Britain. Its words still resonant today.

Although he helped to create the symbol of the American rattlesnake, Benjamin Franklin’s name isn’t usually associated with the rattlesnake flag. The brightly-colored, yellow Don’t Tread on Me flag is usually referred to as a Gadsden flag, named after Colonel Christopher Gadsden. Though this is less frequent, it is sometimes also referred to as a Hopkins flag, named after Commodore Esek Hopkins. Both men were milling around Philadelphia at the same time, with each making significant contributions to the history of the rattlesnake flag, and to America’s history in general. An American patriot, Christopher Gadsden led the Sons of Liberty starting in 1765 in South Carolina. Eventually, he was made a Brigadier General in the Continental Army. He was one of three Marine Committee members deciding to man and outfit the Alfred and its sister ships. As Commander-in-Chief of the Navy, Esek Hopkins flew the “Don’t Tread on Me” flag on the Alfred. It is historically accepted that the flag was given to Hopkins by Gadsden. Reportedly, Gadsden believed a distinctive personal standard was vitally important for the Commodore to have.