The Gadsden flag is a historical American flag with a yellow field depicting a timber rattlesnake coiled and ready to strike. Beneath the rattlesnake are the words: “Dont Tread on Me”. Some modern versions of the flag include an apostrophe. The flag is named after politician Christopher Gadsden (1724–1805), who designed it in 1775 during the American Revolution. It was used by the Continental Marines as an early motto flag, along with the Moultrie flag. It is often used in the United States as a symbol for gun rights and limited government. Use as a libertarian symbol: In the 1970s the Gadsden flag started being used by libertarians, using it as a symbol representing individual rights and limited government. The libertarian Free State Project uses a modified version of the flag with the snake replaced with a porcupine, a symbol of the movement. Use as a Tea Party symbol: Beginning in 2009, the Gadsden flag became widely used as a protest symbol by American Tea Party movement protesters. It was also displayed by members of Congress at Tea Party rallies. In some cases, the flag was ruled to be a political, rather than a historic or military, symbol due to the strong Tea Party connection. Full HD.