Don't Tread on Me

In Charles Town, the Sons of Liberty called for action against the British crown and met at the Liberty Tree or in taverns to discuss politics. Christopher Gadsden was a leader in the independence movement and designed a flag to promote the cause. Borrowing Benjamin Franklin's analogy that the colonies were like a snake, coiled but ready to strike when provoked, Gadsden's yellow flag shows the snake with the words, "Don't Tread on Me," underneath. On your Charleston 101 Walking Tour, you will notice this unmistakable flag adorning many porches.