The Gadsden flag is a historical American flag with a yellow field depicting a timber rattlesnake coiled and ready to strike. Beneath the rattlesnake are the words: " TREAD ON ME". Some modern versions of the flag include an apostrophe. The flag is named for Christopher Gadsden, South Carolina delegate to the Continental Congress and brigadier general in the Continental Army. Gadsden designed the flag in 1775 during the American Revolution. He gifted it to Commodore Esek Hopkins, and the flag was unfurled on the main mast of Hopkins' flagship, USS Alfred, on December 20, 1775. Two days later, Congress made Hopkins commander-in-chief of the Continental Navy. He adopted the Gadsden banner as his personal flag, flying it "from the mainmast of the flagship" while he was aboard. The Continental Marines also flew the flag during the early part of the war. In the context of the American Revolution, the rattlesnake was a "symbol of the unity" of the colonies, and had "long been a political symbol" in America; Benjamin Franklin used the animal for his Join, or Die woodcut in 1754. Gadsden intended his flag as a "warning to Great Britain" not to violate the liberties of its American subjects. The flag has been described as the "most popular symbol of the American revolution." Its design proclaims an assertive warning of vigilance and willingness to act in defense against coercion. This has led it to be associated with the ideas of individualism and liberty. It is often used in the United States as a symbol for right-libertarianism, classical liberalism, and small government; for distrust or defiance against authorities and government; and occasionally co-opted for right-wing populism or far-right ideology. Appearance and symbolism Variations in appearance Many variations of the Gadsden flag exist. The motto sometimes includes an apostrophe in the word "Don't" and sometimes not; the typeface used for the motto is sometimes a serif typeface and other times sans-serif. The rattlesnake sometimes is shown as resting on a green ground; representations dating from 1885 and 1917 do not display anything below the rattlesnake. The rattlesnake usually faces to the left, and the early representations mentioned above face left. However, some versions of the flag show the snake facing to the right. History of rattlesnake symbol in America The timber rattlesnake can be found in the area of the original Thirteen Colonies. Like the bald eagle, part of its