The bright yellow Gadsden flag, long a symbol of support for civil liberties and disagreement with government, has its beginning deeply rooted in the days of the American Revolution. The rattlesnake, the Gadsden flag's central feature, had been an emblem of Americans even before the Revolution.
The rattlesnake symbol caught on and became a part of several other Revolutionary War flags. Before the departure of the United States Navy's first mission in 1775, Continental Colonel Christopher Gadsden from South Carolina presented the newly appointed commander with a yellow rattlesnake flag to serve as a standard for his flagship.
Although there have been several adaptations of the snake emblem, the Gadsden flag continues to be reintroduced as a symbol of defending freedom and the rule of law. Since 2009, the Gadsden flag has become associated with the American Tea Party Movement, as well as several other protest events. For historical reasons, the Gadsden is still popularly flown in Charleston, South Carolina, in tribute to the man who first presented the yellow snake flag.
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