What was the 1st political cartoon?

Join or Die
Benjamin Franklin’s “Join or Die”, which depicts a snake whose severed parts represent the Colonies, is acknowledged as the first political cartoon in America.

When did Benjamin Franklin make the cartoon?

1754
On this day in 1754, Benjamin Franklin published one of the most famous cartoons in history: the Join or Die woodcut. Franklin’s art carried significant importance at the time and is considered an early masterpiece of political messaging.

What was the meaning of the Join or Die cartoon?

Join, or Die was a political cartoon and woodcut created by Benjamin Franklin in 1754. It was designed to unite the American colonies against the French and their Native allies at the start of the French and Indian War. It is thought to be the first political cartoon that advocated unification of the colonies.

Who created the first editorial cartoon?

Benjamin Franklin
The first editorial cartoon was drawn by Benjamin Franklin, and appeared in the Pennsylvania Gazette on May 9, 1754 entitled “Join, or Die.” Franklin saw the colonies as dangerously fragmented, and hoped, with the cartoon and an article, to convince colonists they would have great power if they united.

When was the first newspaper cartoon?

Tools of the trade: characters and symbols Benjamin Franklin created the first American newspaper cartoon in 1754, entitled “Join, or Die,” depicting the eight colonies as a snake divided in eight pieces.

Why does the snake have 8 pieces?

It is a woodcut showing a snake cut into eighths, with each segment labeled with the initials of one of the American colonies or regions. New England was represented as one segment, rather than the four colonies it was at that time. Thus, it has eight segments of a snake rather than the traditional 13 colonies.

When was the first cartoon published by The Independent?

The first example was published in The Independent on May. 1916. The second cartoon was also published by The Independent on June 16, 1917.