Framed An Emblem of the Effects of the STAMP by William Bradford

An Emblem of the Effects of the STAMP by William Bradford is a stark image featuring a menacing skull and crossbones, universally associated with death, at the center. Surrounding the symbol are the ominous words: “An Emblem of the Effects of the STAMP. O! the fatal STAMP.” The cartoon starkly conveys that the Stamp Act would bring the "death" of colonial liberty, especially freedom of the press, as the act taxed all printed materials. The crude, urgent style of the print underscores the colonists’ dire warnings. As a piece of propaganda, it powerfully rallied colonial sentiment against what was seen as tyrannical overreach, helping ignite the broader resistance that led to the act’s repeal the following year.