The United States Flag

The United States Flag is the third oldest of the world's National Standards, older even than Britain's Union Jack or France's Tricolor. It was first authorized by Congress on June 14, 1777 in the Flag Resolution, which stated: "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." At that time, it was decided that each state should be represented by one one star and one stripe. June 14 is now observed as Flag Day throughout America.

The Flag Act of April 4, 1818 determined that the flag should contain 13 stripes and one star for each state, newest stars to be added to the flag on the 4th of July following the admission of a new state. Neither the order of the stars nor the proportions of the flag were standardized until the Executive Order of June 24, 1912. Therefore, flags dating before this period sometimes show unusual arrangements and odd proportions.

The flag was first flown from Fort Stanwix, currently the city of Rome, New York, on August 3, 1777.

No one knows what happened to the first flag. Very few flags from that time have survived.

 

Symbolisms:

The Continental Congress left no record to show why it chose the colors, although the Congress of the Confederation chose the same colors for the Great Seal of the United States in 1782. The colors of the Flag are generally symbolic of the following virtues:

The red is for valor, zeal and fervency; as listed by the Congress of the Confederation, it stood for valor and hardiness.

The white for hope purity, cleanliness of life, and rectitude of conduct; as listed by the Congress of the Confederation, it stood for purity and innocence.

The blue, the color of heaven, for reverence to God, loyalty, sincerity, justice and truth; as listed by the Congress of the Confederation, it stood for vigilance, perserverance, and justice.

The star (an ancient symbol of India, Persia and Egypt) symbolized dominion and sovereignty, as well as lofty aspirations. The constellation of the stars within the union, one star for each state, is emblematic of our Federal Constitution, which reserves to the States their individual sovereignty except as to rights delegated by them to the Federal Government.

Legend attributes George Washington with several comments on the flag. According to one legend, he said the stars were taken from the sky, the red from the British colors, and the white stripes signified the secession from the home country. Washington supposedly said, "We take the stars from Heaven, the red from our mother country, separating it by white stripes, thus showing that we have separated from her, and the white stripes shall go down to posterity representing Liberty."

The stars were positioned in a circle so that no one colony could be considered above another. George Washington reportedly said, "Let the 13 stars in a circle stand as a new constellation in the heavens."

Misc. Flag Facts

When Vermont and Kentucky entered the union, the the number of stars and stripes was raised to fifteen, one star and one stripe for each state. As other states came into the Union it became evident there would be too many stripes. So in 1818 Congress decided that the number of stripes be reduced and restricted to thirteen to represent the thirteen original states and a new star should be added for each succeeding state. That law is the law of today.

Captain William Driver of the brig Charles Doggett gave the flag the nickname of "Old Glory" on August 10, 1831.

Experts at the Betsy Ross House say that while Betsy Ross sewed the first flag, it was probably designed by Francis Hopkinson, a New Jersey delegate to the Continental Congress and a signer of the Declaration of Independence.

Firsts:

The Flag was first carried in battle at the Brandywine, September 11, 1777.

It first flew over foreign territory January 28, 1778, at Nassau, Bahama Islands.

The first foreign salute to the flag was rendered by the French admiral LaMotte Piquet, off Quiberon Bay, February 13, 1778.

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