
The rattlesnake emerged as a symbol of the English colonies of North America about the time of the Seven Years War. By the time of the War of Independence, therattlesnake, frequently used with the motto Don't Tread on Me, was a common symbol for the United States, its independent spirit, and its resistance to tyranny. On Memorial Day 2002 the Secretary of the Navy directed the use of the rattlesnake jack in place of the union jack for the duration of the Global War on Terrorism. 50mm, antique bronze engraveable.