The Council of Rulers & the Elders Against the Tribe of ye Americanites 1775

"The Council of Rulers & the Elders Against the Tribe of ye Americanites" is a satirical engraving created in 1775 by an anonymous artist. This piece from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, depicts a group of European rulers reacting with alarm to a map of North America, which is engulfed in flames. The artist's use of caricature and symbolism, such as the burning map, likely reflects the growing tensions between Great Britain and its American colonies leading up to the Revolutionary War. The print is a powerful visual representation of the political climate of the time, offering a glimpse into the anxieties and conflicts surrounding the impending war.