Don't Tread on Me

Model Description

A following to the Freedom or else model the Don't Tread on Me M16 is the Second Gadsden Flag model. The model has a similar design to the other model where the yellow base color has more to it from a ghosted American flag being overlaid into it. The snake printing it slightly larger on this model with three sections of body wrapping around the handguard, and another three on the stock. A little bit of the snake's body can be seen across the carry handle, grip, and magwell, with the head sitting just above the magazine release. This model also comes with a unique sling with don't tread on me split by a rattle snake crossing the sling printed onto it. The sling is also made by a different manufacturer than the older ones, so the mounting hardware is different than the older slings they used to sell. The stand is nearly identical to the Freedom or Else model, only the text on it is different, if you couldn't guess it read DONT TREAD ON ME.

Since some people seem to want to associate the Gadsden Flag with an extremist or hate symbol these days we are going to provide a little back story. It was created back when the United States were fighting for independence from Great Brittan. Though he isn't associated with the flag, Benjamin Franklin helped to create the symbol of the American rattlesnake. Colonel Christopher Gadsden and Commodore Esek Hopkins each made significant contributions to the history of the rattlesnake flag and to America's history in general.

Franklin drew, carved and published an American newspaper's first political cartoon, it depicted a snake cut into eight segments representing the colonies. The Curves of the snake were suggestive of the coastline with South Carolina as the tail and New England as the head. Beneath the images were the words “Join or Die”. It was the snake's trait of honorably cautioning its enemies to beware the dangers of stepping on it that Benjamin Franklin felt suited the colonial Americans.

Gadsden Designed the “Don't Tread of Me” Flag in 1775 during the American Revolutionary War. It was flown along side the Liberty Flag as a motto flag of the Continental Maries. It was also flown on the Naval ship the Alfred, under Commander and chief of the Navy, Esek Hopkins. Once the United States adopted the Stars and Stripes as its official flag, the Gadsden Flag was mainly viewed as a relic of the revolution. Seeing spikes in popularity from libertarians in the 1970s, and after the events of September 11, 2001.