For over two-hundred years the Flag of the United States of America
has powerfully symbolized our nation's aspirations toward continuous
strength and unity. It has been a moving source of inspiration,
dedication, valor, and patriotism to hundreds of millions of U.S.
citizens since its official inception in 1777.
The United States Flag had taken on many forms and designs before
the Continental Congress established official specifications on
June 14, 1777. Betsy Ross, a seamstress from Philadelphia, is
most often credited with designing and sewing the first U.S. Flag,
though there are no hard historical facts to support this now
legendary tale. It is more widely accepted that Congressman Francis
Hopkinson was the originator of the first official design. From
that point forward, the U.S. Flag retained a great measure of
consistency and character, though more alterations took place
over time between 1777 and 1960. Following are some moments of
special interest in the history of our flag, "Old Glory".
On
January 1, 1776 George Washington was holding a siege over Boston
which had been overtaken by British troops. Washington gave
the order to raise what was dubbed "the Grand Union Flag"
above his Prospect Hill post. This pre-American Independence
flag consisted of 13 alternating red and white stripes, with
a British Union Jack Symbol in the upper left-hand corner.
The
colors used in the flag's design are themselves symbolic. Red
symbolizes hardiness and valor, White represents purity and
innocence, and Blue is a symbol of vigilance.
On
June 14, 1777 The Continental Congress passed the first Flag
Act: "Resolved, that the flag of the United States be made
of thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union
be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new
Constellation." Thus the first "official" U.S.
Flag was born.
The
Act of January 13, 1794 called for the flag to change to fifteen
stripes and fifteen stars after May 1795.
The
Act of April 4, 1818 was signed by President Monroe and saw
the U.S. flag return to thirteen stripes, while changing the
field of stars to reflect the number of states; each star being
added on the Fourth of July following the admission of each
new state.
On
June 24, 1912 President Taft issued an Executive Order of the
President which further established the proper proportions in
addition to altering the arrangement of the stars in six horizontal
rows of eight each, with one point of each star directed upward.
On
January 3, 1959 President Eisenhower issued a new Executive
Order that called for the stars to be arranged in seven rows
of seven, staggered both vertically and horizontally.
On
August 21, 1959 Eisenhower made another Executive Order stating
that the stars were to be arranged with nine horizontal staggered
rows and eleven rows staggered vertically.
As
of this year, the United States flag is designed with thirteen
stripes; seven red and six white, representing the original
thirteen colonies. Each of the fifty stars signifies each of
the fifty states of the Union.
June
14 is "National Flag Day". The idea originally stemmed
from schoolteacher B.J. Cigrand of Fredonia, Wisconsin in 1885.
Cigrand had his pupils celebrate the 108th birthday of the flag,
calling it "Flag Birthday". In the following years,
the practice spread giving birth to "Flag Day".
August
3, 1949 President Truman signed an Act of Congress, thereby
officially making June 14 "National Flag Day"
The
Pledge of Allegiance, written by Francis Bellamy was first spoken
October 12, 1892 by approximately 12 million school children
to help celebrate "Columbus Day". This led to the
widespread daily school ritual of reciting the Pledge, which
has now dropped to less than 50% of American schools that encourage
reciting the Pledge.
The
original text of the Pledge of Allegience reads: "I pledge
allegience to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands-
one nation indivisible- with liberty and justice for all."
The
Pledge of Allegience was altered for clarity in 1923, when the
words "my Flag" were replaced with "the Flag
of the United States of America". It was further altered
in 1954 when President Eisenhower added "under God".
Though
conceived in 1892, the Pledge of Allegience was not made official
by U.S. Congress until 1942.
"Old
Glory!" was the exclaimation of Captain William Driver
after raising his twenty-four star flag that was given to him
after a successful nautical rescue attempt in 1831. This specific
flag became widely known as "Old Glory" and a symbol
of the Northern Union during the Civil War. Some Confederate
forces wanted to destroy Old Glory, so Driver hid the flag within
his blanket until raising it again on February 25, 1862 after
the Union's capture of Nashville.
Captain
William Driver, the original owner of "Old Glory"
(a one of a kind twenty-four star flag) passed the flag on to
his family, who later donated it to the Smithsonian.
