We’ve all heard the saying “a house divided cannot stand” is it possible this famous quote by Abraham Lincoln in 1858 was actually inspired by our founding father Benjamin Franklin in 1754? In 1754 one of our founding fathers illustrated one of the first ever political cartoons. Benjamin Franklin’s physical context of his cartoon was in a popular newspaper, his social context was to send a message to the colonist, and the cultural context was to oppose the French and Native Americans, and later the English empire. Franklin’s disciplinary context was most definitely political.
Franklin’s political cartoon, first, was for persuading a message to the colonist about the French and Indian war, but later was resuscitated for the American Revolution. For the French and Indian war, also known as the seven-year war, he wanted the colonies to be unified against French expansion, and the Native Americans. The colonies wanted to expand west into territory that was already inhabited by French and Native Americans.
The native Americans and the French were in fear of losing their land. This political cartoon was also propaganda for the Revolutionary war in 1775, which was about 21 years later! This image obviously was engraved in the people’s minds. From this one political endeavor, you can see the formation of a democracy beginning. Benjamin Franklin’s political cartoon “Join or Die” is promoting unity between colonies by his delivery, creating a sense of urgency, and depicting an outcome.
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Benjamin Franklin’s motive for this political cartoon was to have the colonies join together, become one, and be stronger. His message was delivered in the form of an image. The image was a severed serpent that was broken up into sections. Each section represented a colony, the snake looks visibly deceased. This political cartoon reached the colonists through the Pennsylvania Gazette newspaper. His cartoon was, in a way, a visualization for the Albany Plan that he had created. The Albany Plan was an idea that the thirteen colonies she be controlled under a central government (‘Milestones: 1750–1775 – Office Of The Historian’). “Join or Die” is showing the colonies growing aspiration for independence. When it was used during the revolution it took on a more biblical meaning different people had different interpretations of the snake/serpent. For example, the patriots saw it as a sign of vigilance, and powerfulness, while the loyalist saw it as deceiving, and treason (Stone).
“join or die” created urgency among the people. Benjamin Franklin stated “They presume that they may with Impunity violate the most solemn Treaties subsisting between the two Crowns, kill, seize and imprison our Traders, and confiscate their Effects at Pleasure (as they have done for several Years past) murder and scalp our Farmers, with their Wives and Children, and take an easy Possession of such Parts of the British Territory as they find most convenient for them.” Benjamin Franklin used fallacies, such as, appeal to fear. The fallacy appeal to Fear is a technique where someone is trying to show/say something that supports their idea by inciting fear in others (‘Appeal To Fear’). Fear is the best way to make people alarmed, and create a massive sense of urgency. When people are in fear of something, like death, they are going to do something to prevent it.
Benjamin Franklin also encouraged the colonist to unify by depicting an outcome. By using the fallacy false dilemma, he made a very clear portrayal of what would happen if you didn’t agree with his proclamation. False dilemma is a fallacy in which you only have two possibilities to choose from, and there is no middle ground (‘False Dilemma’). For Benjamin Franklin’s cartoon you only have two options, join or die. His methods were so successful that they are remembered to this day.
This political cartoon is a very important piece of American history because it’s a sign of independence, unity, and democracy. The outcome of this political cartoon was immense, and was used for many wars. This one political cartoon was the start of a long road of politics, and propaganda in America, we even see these types of political efforts today.
Benjamin Franklin used logos when he demonstrated that people are stronger when they are unified, he used pathos when he appeals to fear by stating “join or die”, and finally he used ethos by using his credibility to tell people what they should and should not stand for. By Benjamin Franklin’s cleaver ways of delivery, creating a sense of urgency, and depicting an outcome “Join or Die” most definitely promoted unity between the colonies. Benjamin Franklin once said “Energy and persistence conquer all things.”
