Prior to the American Revolution, the American people wanted to establish their own identity from the British. They did not want to be seen as the same as their oppressors. Since the British ruled America, up until revolution, the colonists were just like the British. As times grew harder, and the British grew ignorant, the American colonists wanted to be free of their dependence upon England. There were several documents that were created to incite American individuality from the British. The sources of the documents are from the Pennsylvania Gazette, Richard Henry Lee to Arthur Lee, Continental Congress, Famous Mather Byles: The Noted Boston Tory Preacher, Poet, and wit, and an excerpt from Letters from an American Farmer, by Hector St. John Crevecoeur.
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The following picture is from the Pennsylvania Gazette, 1754. This picture illustrated the need for colonies to come together to fight off the British. If they didn't they would perish under British rule. Hence the phrase, "Join or Die."" Prior to the revolution, colonies were bickering among themselves whether or not they wanted to be separated from the English who cared for them for so many years. Another thing that the illustration is saying is while we are arguing, the English going to come and overwhelm us in the middle of the quarreling. The Pennsylvania Gazette called for everyone, everywhere in America, to come together as one and defeat once and for all the British. A snake chopped up in pieces does not pose any threat, but as a whole, it can strike with deadly consequences to those who threaten it.
In another document by Richard Henry Lee to Arthur Lee, it states, "The wicked violence of [the] Ministry is so clearly expressed, as to leave no doubt of their fatal determination to ruin both Countries unless a powerful and timely check is interposed by the Body of people. A very small corrupted Junto in New York excepted, all North America is now most firmly united and as firmly resolved to defend their liberties ad infinitum against every power on Earth that may attempt to take them away.
