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Originating as a motto on an iconic Revolutionary War flag, don’t tread on me is a historic expression of American patriotism. Don’t tread on me began on what’s known as the Gadsden flag, which features a rattlesnake coiled above the expression on a yellow background. The flag was first flown on a warship in 1775 as a battle cry for American independence from British rule. It’s credited to Christopher Gadsden, a soldier and politician from South Carolina. The snake was an established symbol for America at the time. Benjamin Franklin notably used it, saying the rattlesnake never backed down when provoked, which captured “the temper and conduct of America. The tread in Gadsden's defiant phrase, don't tread on me, means “to step, walk, or trample so as to press, crush, or injure something.” And so, with its tongue flicked, fangs out, and body coiled in defense, the rattlesnake (and motto) warns: “If you dare put your foot down on me, I will strike.”