Primary sourcePainting1768

The Colonies Reduced

Benjamin Franklin · 1768

A political cartoon designed by Franklin during the Stamp Act crisis, warning Britain that losing its American colonies would cripple the empire.

Franklin designed and distributed this cartoon in London, showing his use of political satire during the Stamp Act crisis.

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Engraved political cartoon sheet titled 'The Colonies Reduced' with the top panel showing a seated female figure beside a globe with a banner reading 'Date Obolum Belli Sario'; her limbs lie separated, labeled with colony names. Below, 'Its Companion' shows a crowded scene of men with flags and a shield, one figure in a long coat, and speech scrolls, with the date 'Aug. 1768' in the corner. — Benjamin Franklin, The Colonies Reduced, 1768. Library of Congress.

About this source

What it is

This etched print, titled 'The Colonies Reduced,' was designed by Benjamin Franklin and distributed in London while he served as Pennsylvania's colonial agent. It shows a dismembered figure of Britannia, her limbs labeled with colony names, alongside a companion scene from August 1768. It is held by the Library of Congress.

Why it matters

Created during the Stamp Act crisis, the cartoon argues that Britain's harsh policies toward the colonies were damaging the empire itself. It reveals Franklin not just as a scientist and diplomat but as a sharp political propagandist, using satire to influence British opinion.

Look closer

Why would Franklin choose a dismembered body to represent the British Empire?
Who was the intended audience for this cartoon, and why might that matter?
What does the image leave out about the colonies' own conflicts or divisions?

This painting is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Benjamin Franklin on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.