Founding America

Contrary to popular belief, this bit of propaganda—created by Benjamin Franklin in 1754—was created for the French and Indian War, not the American Revolution.  Franklin’s aim was to urge colonists to unite against the common threat that the French and Native American tribes posed against the then-western frontiers. Later, in 1765, it would take on a new meaning as colonists used it as a symbol for uniting against the British crown (also around this year, some colonies changed the wording to “Unite or die”). It was the first known depiction of colonial unity published by a British colonist in America.  

(New England is represented here as N.E. rather than breaking each state out.)

(Source: awoolwine)