The History of Flags~United States

Old Glory: The Flag of the United States of America has become not just a symbol of American Patriotism but also a symbol of freedom and US power.

But how did it become to the flag we know today?

This is what this page will cover, the history of the Flag of The United States of America.

## Early Flags

Because the USA was once a colony of Great Britain, they used Britain's colonial flag (which had Britain's "Union Jack" with a red ensign).

But in an attempt to separate themselves from the rest of the British Empire, the American People wanted to modify the Colonial flag. On December 13, 1775, the Americans came up with what was known as the "*Grand Union Flag"*. Which is the Colonial Flag, and it had 6 white stripes on it, and with the 7 red stripes that meant the stripes symbolized the Original 13 Colonies.

On June 14, 1777, the US Government had passed what is called the "*Flag Resolution"*where the US Flag would have interchanging red and white stripes with a blue canton on the top left corner and with stars to symbolize the states.

Wonder why June 14 is known as "*Flag Day"*, well this is the reason.

### Confusion

Though the Flag Resolution helped resolve on how our flag would look like, it wasn't precise on how exactly looked like such as the position of the stars on the canton as well as how many red and white stripes and their position as well.

There is also some confusion on who designed the first US Flag. As we're taught in school (if you're American) that Betsy Ross designed the first US Flag in the Spring of 1776 (as in the picture above, it has 13 5-point stars in the blue canton in a circle pattern as well as 13 stripes, 7red and 6 white).

Now, however, there is little evidence to back up this claim, and it would also contradict the *Flag Resolution*which came into effect a year later (as said before).

There is also another flag designed in 1777 by New Jersey delegate *Francis Hopkinson,*and now is credited as the (somewhat) "Official" designer of the first US Flag which has 13 6-point stars in an unaligned row and also with 13 stripes (7 red and 6 white) which like the supposedly "Betsy Ross Flag" to symbolize the 13 colonies.

### A New Flag

It wouldn't be until 1795 where the Flag would be changed. This time it would have 15 stars (as Vermont and Kentucky joined the union by this time) and have 15 stripes (8 red and 7 white).

This flag was also used as what we know today as the "*Star-Spangled Banner"* which anybody who has some advanced knowledge of US History, as flown over *Fort McHenry* during the War of 1812 where the British Navy was bombarding the fort with small rockets which proved ineffective, and the flag remained at the fort as did the fort itself (which inspired a Maryland Lawyer *Francis Scott Key* to write a poem which would become the US' National Anthem).

### New Flag Regulations

In April of 1818, a US Naval Captain named *Samuel C. Reid* made some suggestions to pass some regulations for the US Flag.

Now, why would a Naval Captain suggest Flag Regulations? Well, that's because the primary use of a flag is like using as an ID Card for Merchant Ships, to know where the Ship is coming from.

Now, back to Reid's suggestions. He suggested that the US Flag should keep some of the regulations that were made from the Flag Resolution of 1777, but to also make some "tweaks" if you will. He wanted the US Flag to have no more than 13 stripes (7 red and 6 white and to go as red, white, red white, red, white, etc.) as the stripes are symbols of the original 13 colonies, have the blue canton in the top left corner and to have as many stars as there are states, which means the flag will get a new star every time a new state joins the union.

The US Government agrees and on Independence Day if 1818, these new flag regulations passed as law, and with them, the 20-Star US Flag was also used (as Illinois joined the Union not long before).

Over the years, the flag would change constantly as new states join the union (states such as Missouri, Maine, Florida, Texas, and California) a new star was added to the flag.

Even with Reid's regulations, there was some confusion on how to position the stars on the Canton since there was no specific pattern they must go. So some merchant ships and even warships would come up with their patterns for the stars, patterns like circles, diamonds, and even 5-point stars were used.

It wouldn't be until 1912 (with Arizona joining the union) where the flag would have the stars in some kind of rectangular pattern.

Since 1912, the pattern hasn't changed that much, even with Alaska and Hawaii joining the union in 1959 which as of right now completes the states in the union. The flag of the United States of America changed 27 times since 1818 (more than any national flag in the world up to now) Now, the current flag (50-Stars) is the longest standing US flag in its history.

If you think that I'm just going to end my page on US Flags, think again. Because there's more to tell.

Would we see a "*51st State"* in the future? Well, we can't talk about that without talking about the highest-profile possible 51st State: Puerto Rico. In 2017, Puerto Rico had a Statehood referendum. Though the popular vote was lopsided in favor of statehood, the same can't be said about the actual turnout, so it remains in question whether or not Puerto Rico would become a state, if at all.

There's also the possibility of Washington DC becoming a state, there are small movements in the district to get people to vote for the District of Columbia to become a state. However, there are no referendums in DC for it to become a state. So, like Puerto Rico, it remains uncertain that DC would become a state.

It wouldn't be until the late 19th Century or early 20th Century where each of the Individual States would use their flags. I have already made pages about them, just click the following links below if you want to know more about the US' State Flags.

Part 1/Part 2/Part 3/Part 4

But, there's more. Now I'm going to talk about (and I apologize in advance) the flags of the Confederate States.

## Flags of the Confederacy

Designed in 1861 by *Nicola Marschall*. The CS Flag followed a lot of the same regulations put in place by the Flag Resolution of 1777 and even Reid's 1818 regulations. It had 3 "bars" since they're thicker than the stripes with a blue canton on the top left corner with stars in a circle pattern, and to add a new star for new states that joined the Confederacy. In 6 months, the flag changed 3 times from 7 to 9 to 11 and eventually 13.

### Confusion

The first CS Flag closely resembled the US Flag (which the Union used during the Civil War) it would confuse the soldiers on the battlefield, which meant the first battles of the Civil War (like the *Battle of Bull Run* for instance) people didn't know which side was which.

### Stainless Flag

It wouldn't be until 1863 where the CSA would officially adopt the "infamous" Battle Flag of the Army of Northern Virginia as the official CSA flag. So the NVA Battle Flag was placed in the top left corner. Supposedly, the battle flag was to symbolize 3 things.

1. The 13 stars to symbolize the 13 CS States.

2. The "X" shape resembles the "Scottish Saltire" to symbolize the Scottish heritage of the CS.

3. The colors (Red White and Blue) to not just symbolize American Pride, but also the CS' French heritage.

But, there was more. The battle flag was on a white ensign which an editor of a Georgian Newspaper called the *"Savannah Morning News"* said that the "stainless flag" was "The White Man's Flag". Symbolizing White Supremacy during the time.

### Bloodstained Flag

In the closing days of the Civil War, the CSA would change their flag again, this time they added a red vertical bar to the right side of the flag, and this could be for a few reasons.

1. The "Stainless" flag when limp (because little or no wind is flapping the flag around) would hide the battle flag, making the flag resemble a surrender (or truce) flag.

2. To commemorate those who have died during the Civil War since by 1865, the CS was poised to lose the war.

This would only be in use until April 26, 1865, when the CSA surrendered and the CS Flag was abolished.

How about something else? Though it has nothing to do with flags, let's talk about the US Great Seal (which can be seen in the current $1 Bill.

## The Great Seal

This is both sides of the US Great Seal, as you can see on the Carpet of The White House's Oval Office (or more commonly on the US' current $1 Bill), and it has symbols all over it.

### Front Side

The front side has a lot of symbols on it that commemorates the US. The Eagle in the center is the US' National Bird. In front of the Eagle is a shield with the blue canton and the red and white stripes which symbolize the great defense of the US. In the Eagle's mouth is a sash that has the Latin Words *"E Pluribus Unum"* which means "One, out of many". In it's left talon is a bundle of arrows which symbolize war and in its right talon is an olive branch that symbolizes peace. Above the Eagle is a circle with 13 stars in it, symbolizing the original 13 colonies.

Some people believe that the Eagle's head turns depending on the time the USA is in, it looks to the Olive Branch when the country is at peace and to the bundle of arrows if the country is at war. However, this is proven a myth as one spokesperson said about the Eagle's Head is that it always looks towards the Olive Branch to symbolizes the USA wanting Peace, but if the time comes, it's ready for war.

### Back Side

The Back side of the Great Seal resembles a pyramid in the desert. The Pyramid is unfinished which may or may not symbolize the Egyptian Pyramids, above it is an eye that supposedly symbolizes Jehovah (The God of Christianity) and even sometimes called the *"All-Seeing Eye"*. It also has Latin words. the words on each side of the Pyramid means *"Approved of our undertakings"* and the Latin word on the bottom mean *"The New Order of the Ages"* it also has "1776" in Roman Numerals.

Some Conspiracy Theorists also believe that the *"Unfinished Pyramid"* and the *"All-Seeing Eye"* are symbols of *"Freemasonry"* which some of those theorists believe that a few of our nation's founders were members. But of course, that is just a Conspiracy Theory.

Want to know more about the history of the US? Just click here to read about it. Don't forget to check out my Games and Movies wikis as well. Until next time, this is JohnnyOTGS signing out.