who said united we stand divided we fall

The phrase "United we stand, divided we fall" is attributed to the ancient Greek storyteller Aesop, appearing directly in his fable "The Four Oxen and the Lion" and indirectly in "The Bundle of Sticks." It expresses the idea that unity brings strength while division leads to failure. In more modern history, the phrase was first used in the United States by Founding Father John Dickinson in his pre-Revolutionary War song "The Liberty Song," published in 1768, with the line "By uniting we stand, by dividing we fall!" The phrase has also been used by historical figures such as Patrick Henry in 1799 and Abraham Lincoln during his 1858 campaign, emphasizing unity's importance for collective strength and survival. It is notably the state motto of Kentucky, adopted in 1792.