Join, or Die
Political cartoon by Benjamin Franklin
What does each “Object” represent?
In the political cartoon "Join, or Die" created by Benjamin Franklin, each object represents a different colony in America during that time. The objects and the colonies they represent are as follows:
1. New England - A snake's head
2. New York - A snake's neck
3. New Jersey - A snake's tail
4. Pennsylvania - A snake's body
5. Maryland - A snake's body part
6. Virginia - A snake's body part
7. North Carolina - A snake's body part
8. South Carolina - A snake's body part
9. Massachusetts - Some sources depict this as a literal depiction of Massachusetts as an Indian.
10. New Hampshire - Some sources depict this as a literal depiction of New Hampshire as a pine tree.
Franklin used these objects to symbolize the unity necessary among the colonies to resist the British during the French and Indian War. He argued that if they did not join forces, they would individually suffer the same fate, akin to being "cut into pieces" like a snake. This cartoon was one of the earliest examples of political cartoons in America and became a rallying cry for colonial unity.