Betsy Ross - American Revolution - HISTORY.com Google Betsy Ross: An Early American Life Elizabeth Griscom was born on January 1, 1752, in the bustling colonial city of Philadelphia. She was the eighth of 17 children. Her parents, Rebecca James Griscom and Samuel Griscom were both Quakers. The daughter of generations of craftsman (her father was a house carpenter), young Betsy attended a Quaker school and was then apprenticed to William Webster, an upholsterer. In Webster’s workshop she learned to sew mattresses, chair covers and window blinds. Did You Know? An 1871 pamphlet enthusiastically not only credited Betsy Ross for designing the first U.S. flag, but for coming up with the name "United States of America" and writing a hymn that was the basis for the French anthem "La Marseillaise." (There is no evidence to support either of those claims.) In 1773, at age 21, Betsy crossed the river to New Jersey to elope with John Ross, a fellow apprentice of Webster’s and the son of an Episcopal rector—a double act of defiance that got her expelled from the Quaker church.

The Rosses started their own upholstery shop, and John joined the militia. He died after barely two years of marriage. Though family legend would attribute John’s death to a gunpowder explosion, illness is a more likely culprit. The Story of the Betsy Ross Flag In the summer of 1776 (or possibly 1777) Betsy Ross, newly widowed, is said to have received a visit from General George Washington regarding a design for a flag for the new nation. Washington and the Continental Congress had come up with the basic layout, but, according to legend, Betsy allegedly finalized the design, arguing for stars with five points (Washington had suggested six) because the cloth could be folded and cut out with a single snip. The tale of Washington’s visit to Ross was first made public in 1870, nearly a century later, by Betsy Ross’s grandson. However, the flag’s design was not fixed until later than 1776 or 1777. Charles Wilson Peale’s 1779 painting of George Washington following the 1777 Battle of Princeton features a flag with six-pointed stars.

Betsy Ross was making flags around that time—a receipt shows that the Pennsylvania State Navy Board paid her 15 pounds for sewing ship’s standards. But similar receipts exist for Philadelphia seamstresses Margaret Manning (from as early as 1775), Cornelia Bridges (1776) and Rebecca Young, whose daughter Mary Pickersgill would sew the mammoth flag that later inspired Francis Scott Key to write “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Betsy Ross: Later Life, Work and Children In June 1777, Betsy married Joseph Ashburn, a sailor, with whom she had two daughters. In 1782 Ashburn was apprehended while working as a privateer in the West Indies and died in a British prison. A year later, Betsy married John Claypoole, a man who had grown up with her in Philadelphia’s Quaker community and had been imprisoned in England with Ashburn. A few months after their wedding, the Treaty of Paris was signed, ending the Revolutionary War. They went on to have five daughters. Over the next decades, Betsy Claypoole and her daughters sewed upholstery and made flags, banners and standards for the new nation.

In 1810 she made six 18-by-24-foot garrison flags to be sent to New Orleans ; the next year she made 27 flags for the Indian Department. She spent her last decade in quiet retirement, her vision failing, and died in 1836, at age 84. Betsy Ross: A Legacy Unfurled The records of the U.S. flag’s origins are fragmentary in part because at the time Americans were indifferent to flags as national relics. “The Star-Spangled Banner” was written in 1812 but did not become popular until the 1840s. As the 1876 U.S. Centennial approached, enthusiasm for the flag increased. It was in that environment, in 1870, that Betsy Claypoole’s grandson William Canby presented the family tale to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. At the time several claims on the first flag were surfacing, ranging from other Philadelphia seamstresses to a New Hampshire quilting bee said to have fashioned the banner out of cut-up gowns.

Most such stories, however wishfully sourced, expressed a national desire for symbols of female Revolutionary patriotism, of women materially supporting their fighting men and (just perhaps) showing George Washington a better way to make a star. Tags 7 Historical Figures Famous for Something They Never Did - History Lists History Lists October 2, 2012 By Evan Andrews Share this: 7 Historical Figures Famous for Something They Never Did Author 7 Historical Figures Famous for Something They Never Did URL Google Even if you disagree with Napoleon Bonaparte’s famous remark that “history is a set of lies that people have agreed upon,” there’s little doubt that myths, misconceptions and outright fabrications have often shaped our understanding of the past. In some instances, these legends have become so ingrained that they overshadow the actual facts of a historical figure’s life. Find out the truth about seven notable people who’ve become forever linked with something they never did. Abner Doubleday (for inventing baseball) Abner Doubleday was a Civil War general and abolitionist who famously ordered the first Union shots in defense of Fort Sumter. But while he had a distinguished military career, Doubleday is more commonly remembered for inventing baseball—even though he did no such thing.

The story dates back to 1905, when former National League president A.G. Mills headed a commission to investigate the origins of America’s favorite pastime. Based on a letter from a man named Abner Graves, the commission incorrectly concluded that Doubleday had invented baseball in Cooperstown, New York, in 1839. In truth, Doubleday was attending West Point in 1839 and had never claimed any involvement with baseball. Nevertheless, the myth persisted for years, and the Baseball Hall of Fame was even established in Cooperstown on the sport’s mistaken centennial in 1939. Lady Godiva (for her naked horseback ride) Lady Godiva is best known for defiantly riding naked through the streets of medieval Coventry to protest the crippling taxes her husband had levied on the townspeople. According to legend, at some point in the 11th century Godiva pressured her powerful husband, Leofric, to reduce the people’s debts. When he mockingly responded that he would only do so when she rode naked on horseback through the town, Godiva called his bluff and galloped into the history books.

While this story has become the stuff of legend—a tailor who spied on Godiva even inspired the phrase “peeping Tom”—scholars agree that the nude horseback ride probably never happened. Godiva certainly existed, but most histories mention her as simply the wife of an influential nobleman. In fact, the complete Godiva myth didn’t even appear until the 13th century, 200 years after the ride supposedly occurred. The story was later picked up by notable writers like Alfred Lord Tennyson, whose 1842 poem “Godiva” helped cement the tall tale as a historical fact. Nero (for fiddling while Rome burned) One of the most famous stories of Roman decadence concerns Nero, the emperor who blithely “fiddled while Rome burned” during the great fire of 64 A.D. According to some ancient historians, the emperor had ordered his men to start the fire in order to clear space for his new palace. But while Nero was certainly no saint—he reportedly ordered the murder of his own mother during his rise to power—the story of his fiendish fiddling is likely exaggerated.

While some ancient chroniclers did describe the music-loving emperor as singing while he watched flames consume the city, the historian Tacitus would later denounce these claims as vicious rumors. According to him, Nero was away at Antium during the early stages of the blaze, and upon returning to Rome helped lead rescue and rebuilding efforts and even opened his palace gardens to those who lost their homes. A further strike against the legend is that the fiddle would not even be invented for several hundred years. If Nero played any instrument while Rome burned—which remains up for debate—it would most likely have been a cithara, a kind of lyre. Marie-Antoinette (for “Let them eat cake”) When she was informed that her people were starving from lack of bread, the 18th-century French queen Marie-Antoinette is said to have quipped, “Then let them eat cake.” This famous line has traditionally served to underscore the monarch’s ignorance of her subjects’ plight, yet there is almost no evidence that Marie-Antoinette ever uttered those words. The phrase first appeared in reference to a “great princess” in the philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s book “Confessions,” which was written in early 1766.

If Rousseau were indeed referring to Marie-Antoinette, it would mean she was only 10 years old and not yet a queen when she said it. Scholars think Rousseau either coined the phrase or that it was a common insult used to criticize various aristocratic figures in the 18th century. So if “let them eat cake” was ever directly attributed to Marie-Antoinette in her lifetime, it was most likely part of a deliberate attempt by her political opponents to discredit her. Joseph-Ignace Guillotin (for inventing the guillotine) Contrary to popular belief, the French doctor Joseph-Ignace Guillotin did not directly invent the feared decapitation machine that bears his name. Ironically, Guillotin was a noted opponent of capital punishment. Desperate to put a stop to the brutal ax beheadings and hangings used in state executions, in 1789 he proposed to the French National Assembly that a more humane and painless method be developed. With Guillotin acting in a managerial role, the plans for what became the guillotine were then drafted by a surgeon named Antoine Louis, who modeled the device on similar machines found in Scotland and Italy.

After a German named Tobias Schmidt built the first prototype, it was put into regular use by the French government. While Guillotin had neither designed nor built the apparatus, it still eventually became known—much to his disgust—as the guillotine. Another popular claim states that Guillotin was later beheaded by the guillotine during the French Revolution, but this too is a myth. George Washington Carver (for inventing peanut butter) George Washington Carver was an American scientist and inventor famous for creating alternative food products and farming methods. But while Carver’s many innovations earned him comparisons to Leonardo da Vinci, the erroneous belief that he invented peanut butter has stuck in the popular imagination. Carver was indeed a peanut pioneer—he is reputed to have found over 300 uses for the legume during his career—but he wasn’t the first person to create peanut butter. In truth, evidence of peanut-based pastes can be found in South America as far back as 950 B.C.

Meanwhile, modern peanut butter substances were first patented in 1884 by Marcellus Edson—who referred to it as “peanut-candy”—and later by John Harvey Kellogg, who unveiled a process for creating peanut butter in 1895. While he eventually became its most famous advocate, Carver did not begin his own experiments on the peanut until 1903. Betsy Ross (for making the first American flag) One of American history’s most persistent legends involves Betsy Ross, a Philadelphia seamstress who supposedly made the first American flag. As the story goes, in 1776 Ross was commissioned to sew the flag—which then featured a circle of 13 stars—by a small committee that included George Washington. Ross supposedly produced her famous flag a few days later and even changed the design to make the stars five-pointed rather than six-pointed. While versions of this story continue to be taught in American classrooms, most historians dismiss it as a tall tale. Newspapers from the time make no reference to Ross or the meeting, and Washington never mentioned her involvement in creating the flag.

In fact, the Ross legend didn’t even make its first appearance until 1870, when her grandson, William Canby, related it to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. But outside of showing affidavits from family members, Canby never produced any convincing evidence to support his claim. It’s true that Betsy Ross made American flags in the late 1770s, but the tale of her very first flag is likely untrue. Tags Betsy Ross and the American Flag: historical analysis Betsy Ross and the American Flag More flag resources Historic Analysis Betsy Ross is regarded by many as a character befitting a fable — that the tale of her making the first flag is no more than an instructive parable. Modern-day parsers of the past suggest that several 19th-century authors and enthusiasts of American history were overanxious to champion the story of Betsy Ross brought to public attention by her grandson, William Canby, in a speech before the Pennsylvania Historical Society in 1870. That the story of the patriots of the Revolutionary Era required a deserving female role model.

That magazines, textbooks, and artists uncritically have echoed the contrivance of a man who was an 11-year-old boy when his grandmother died. Some historians dismiss Canby's entirely, viewing the absense of any written record of the flag's creation as more persuasive than an oral history The testimony of Betsy Ross's daughter and other family members recount Betsy's story, and historically no other evidence has ever emerged to contradict that testimony or otherwise cast doubt on its veracity. Evaluating the circumstantial evidence also supports her story, including the paper star found in a safe in the 20th century. In April 2009, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission officially recognized Betsy Ross's contributions with a historic marker in front of her house, stating, "Credited with making the first stars and stripes flag, Ross was a successful upholsterer. She produced flags for the government for over 50 years. As a skilled artisan, Ross represents the many women who supported their families during the Revolution and early Republic." The true story of Betsy's involvement with the American flag remains unclear and it's likely that it always will. The evidence is not definitive and conclusive, but it is persuasive.

Curious minds are encouraged to look at primary sources, examine evidence firsthand, and draw their own conclusions, not just with regard to Betsy and the flag, but with all contentious subjects. Primary Sources Affidavits of Betsy Ross's daughter, granddaughter, and niece This page comprises four sections. The first is how Betsy Ross's deeds were brought to the public's attention. The second part is set up as a point-counterpoint with arguments and rebuttals. The third sets forth points in support of Betsy Ross having sewn the first flag. The fourth shows printed examples of how her story is being told by widely distributed sources, followed by our comments. Part 1: Betsy's Deeds Are Made Public In March 1870, in anticipation of America's Centennial, William Canby, a grandson of Betsy Ross, made public the story of Washington's visit to the flagmaker. In a paper given to the Pennsylvania Historical Society, the justifiably proud grandson related to the world his grandmother's deeds. Since Canby was a mere lad of 11 when Betsy passed on in 1836, he relied on his own recollections as well as those of other relatives.

For the record, three affidavits were sworn to, one by a daughter of Betsy Ross, one by a granddaughter, and one by a niece. These statements communicate in clear detail that Betsy Ross often told them the heroic saga of the birth of the American flag. Canby's paper recounts a meeting between a secret Congressional Committee and the widowed seamstress. The committee of Robert Morris and George Ross was accompanied by George Washington. The meeting resulted in the creation of the first American flag. Betsy contributed by suggesting a 5-pointed star, rather than the 6-pointed star recommended by Washington. After Canby's lecture, the story of Betsy and the flag took root in the hearts of Americans. Harper's Monthly retold the story in a July 1873 issue. In the 1880s, the story began to appear in textbooks. Charles Weisgerber's painting "Birth of Our Nation's Flag" (a detail of which is displayed on the homepage) was exhibited with admiration at the 1893 World Columbian Exposition in Chicago.

Part 2: Point-Counterpoint COUNTERPOINT The question is rather, "Can Betsy Ross herself be trusted?" Some have suggested that Canby invented the story out of whole cloth to bring himself fame. Others suggest that an 11-year-old boy's memory of Grandma's stories cannot be trusted. The sworn testimony of Betsy's daughter and other descendants, as well as Canby's own memory make very clear that the source of the stories are Betsy Ross's own words. Did Betsy, a known flagmaker, embellish the truth by saying she made the first one? POINT There is no receipt for the first flag. COUNTERPOINT Only one receipt exists for any of the flags Ross made. In the records of the Pennsylvania Archives, a minute from the Board of War meeting of May 29, 1777, reads in part, "An Order on William Webb to Elizabeth Ross, for fourteen pounds, twelve shillings, two pence for making ships colours & put into William Richards' stores." This document proves that Betsy Ross was certainly a flagmaker. That she didn't always make receipts for her flags or other work is known.

Further, Canby remembers his grandmother saying that some flags she made came back to her for mending years after the war. POINT Francis Hopkinson deserves credit for creating the first flag. He submitted an invoice for, among many other items, "the design of 'the flag of the United States of America'" to the Board of Admiralty in 1780 (covering the few years prior to his submission of the invoice). COUNTERPOINT "Hopkinson flag" Francis Hopkinson, a New Jersey delegate to the Continental Congress and a signer of the Declaration of Independence, was an important contributing member of the Revolutionary cause and a creative light deserving great credit for all his achievements. He was a member of the Marine Committee, which attended to most matters involving the Navy. In a letter submitted to the Board of Admiralty in 1780, Hopkinson sought payment for his design of "the flag of the United States of America" as well as several ornaments, devices, and checks appearing on bills of exchange, ship papers, the seals of the boards of Admiralty and Treasury, and the Great Seal of the United States. The invoice was rejected because it lacked vouchers.

On resubmitting his invoices, he changed the reference from "the flag of the United States of America" to now state, "The Great Naval Flag of the United States." There is no historical record of what his flag looked like. The price he affixed to his design was one of the higher ones among those in the voucher, indicating a far more intricate and complex design than the relatively simple American flag. It would seem that Hopkinson's flag was not our Stars and Stripes. Looking at the number of points on the stars, we note that Hopkinson, at that time, designed with 6-pointed stars. Hopkinson's family coat of arms contained 6-pointed stars. Washington's Commander-In-Chief flag had 6-pointed white stars in a blue field. Hopkinson's work, before and after 1776, favored the 6-pointed star. 5-pointed stars don't appear in Hopkinson's designs until years later. It's unlikely that he would use 6-pointed stars, suddenly switch to a 5-pointed star for exactly one flag, then continue designing with 6-pointed stars for years before finally switching to the 5-pointed star for his later designs.

Apart from the voucher, which unlikely refers to the flag with 5-pointed stars in a circular pattern, or any relatively simple stars and stripes design, there is absolutely no evidence in support of his designing the flag. For those who are curious, though it is irrelevant to this discussion, Hopkinson's entire set of invoices was rejected. POINT There is no contemporary reference in any known letter, newspaper, or diary that refers to the original flag. Neither Betsy Ross, the members of the committee, Washington, Congressmen, nor soldiers, speak to the first flag. COUNTERPOINT Flags were of undeniable importance for identification of troops and ships. They were not yet the symbols of American unity and identity they would later become. A war was being fought and other affairs were undoubtedly more pressing. Betsy did not keep a diary. Washington, a prodigious letter writer and chronicler, wrote of the need for new flags and how flags boosted morale. On occasion, contemporary diary entries did speak to flags, but not with regularity. Newspapers did not even record the Flag Resolution itself until two months after it was enacted in June 1777.

It shouldn't be forgotten that the war effort wasn't going particularly well when the flag was made — the balance of a new nation was at stake. Most people at the time would have simply considered the Ross flag just one out of many banners flying at the time. POINT There are no records in Congress speaking of a flag committee. COUNTERPOINT It is true that there are no records in Congress speaking to a "flag committee." Historians seeking the truth of the Betsy Ross story have searched through the published proceedings of the Journals of Congress and the minutes of the Continental Congress and found no mention of a flag group. However, one finds in those minutes many irregularities. Committees were being formed at a rate of six in a day at times. Some committees were "secret." In the minutes, reports of some committees were noted, but the content omitted; for others, the work of committees is reported without a traceable record of them having ever been formed. What importance would there have been to George Washington, along with a committee of two taking an hour to go a few blocks to have an upholsterer and flag-maker they were already familiar with sew a new flag design? POINT There are no records in Congress speaking of a flag debate.

COUNTERPOINT With General Washington and a committee of two on a mission to have a flag sewn to their new design, it's unlikely there'd be a single word of debate about it. POINT Congress did not adopt an official flag until June 1777, a full year after Betsy claimed to have made the flag. COUNTERPOINT The first flag resolution was passed on June 14, 1777 {"Resolved. That the flag of the united states be 13 stripes alternate red and white, that the Union be 13 stars white in a blue field representing a new constellation"}. The lack of specificity in the Flag Resolution suggests that it was making official a flag that was already recognized as the de facto national flag. POINT If Betsy sewed it, where is the original flag? COUNTERPOINT Very few flags from that time still exist. A few regimental flags still exist as do some naval flags. Many flags were destroyed in battle. Others may have sunk in ships which carried them. Others were captured in battle. Many simply tattered and were lost to the ravages of time.

POINT Why would the familiar Grand Union flag, first used by Washington as commander of the reorganized Continental Army starting in January 1776, be replaced just 6 months later? COUNTERPOINT At the siege of Boston, on January 1, 1776, the Grand Union Flag that was hoisted by the Continentals was mistaken as a token of surrender. The Grand Union flag contains the British Union Jack in the corner where the stars are today. According to the Annual Register of 1776, the Continentals were so dismayed by the Loyalists' reaction to the Grand Union Flag that they recognized a need for a new banner. On February 20, Washington issued an order for distinctive regimental uniforms and flags. POINT Was Washington even in Philadelphia at the time of the supposed meeting? COUNTERPOINT Congressional records and Washington's own letters place him in Philadelphia from late May to early June of 1776. POINT It's dubious that Washington and members of so distinguished a committee would have left Congress to call on a lowly upholsterer. COUNTERPOINT The design of a new flag was important to Washington.

It's quite conceivable that George Ross knowing of the hard circumstances of his young relative, suggested Betsy. Washington and Robert Morris both prayed at Christ Church with Betsy Ross, so would be familiar with her. She would be a very likely choice for the sewing of the flag. Part 3: Points in Support of Betsy In addition to the family testimony, there are fascinating if inconclusive arguments in favor of Betsy sewing the first flag. POINT: The Artistic Argument One of the arguments used against Betsy Ross is the timeline. The following show that her Stars and Stripes was in use on the battlefield well before the flag resolution of June 14, 1777. Colonel John Trumbull and Captain Charles Willson Peale were artists who fought under George Washington. Today they are both acknowledged as preeminent artists of their day. Peale led a group of foot soldiers at the Battle of Princeton under the great General. The battle took place on January 3, 1777, five months before the flag resolution — the first historically acknowledged reference to the Stars and Stripes.

"Washington at the Battle of Princeton" was a series of paintings Peale executed between 1778 and 1781. In one of them, the viewer can see the left side of a flag containing a blue field with a circle of 13 white stars, as well as a number of captured Hessian flags which are at Washington's feet. Peale cared greatly about accuracy in his paintings and specifically had the Hessian flags brought to his studio to be painted. Some historians dismiss the American flag in this painting as anachronistic — a claim we find unbelievable and inexplicable in light of the care for accuracy Peale is known to have shown, according to Peale's biographers. That painting can be seen today at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia. Another painting depicting the Battle of Princeton, done for Princeton University (and still on display there), again shows the Stars and Stripes, as well as Washington's Headquarters flag, on the battlefield. Trumbull became an aide to Washington and served at both the Battle of Trenton (December 25, 1776) and the Battle of Princeton. Several of his paintings also show the Stars and Stripes on the battlefield with Washington.

POINT: Wetherill and his Safe Betsy star previously on display at the Free Quaker Meeting House, Philadelphia. It has since gone missing. Samuel Wetherill was a good friend of Betsy Ross. In fact he and Ross were the last two members of the Free Quaker Meeting House and together shut its doors for the last time in 1834. The Wetherill family oral tradition holds that he visited Betsy shortly after her meeting with the Congressional Committee. She told him what had just transpired. Wetherill, recognizing the historic import of that meeting, asked if he could keep the 5-pointed star which Ross had cut for the committee. She gave it to him. In 1925, the Wetherill family safe was opened and inside was that 5-pointed star. Until recently, that star was exhibited at the Free Quaker Meeting House, a few blocks from the Betsy Ross House. It has since gone missing.

Also see: Two Conundrums Concerning the Betsy Ross Five-Pointed Star: the Provenance of the Pattern-for-Stars Artifact and the Surprising Incompleteness of Fold and One-Cut Descriptions for Making the Star Part 4: Published Accounts "Though she (Betsy) was long believed to have designed the American flag, this claim has now been disproved..." SOURCE: Philadelphia Access, Access Press, New York, 1993 OUR REPLY: It has not been disproved. It has simply not been proved, and likely will never be. However, with the Hopkinson story so much in doubt, we must encourage future generations of historians to continue researching this question. "And while historians negate the possibility that Betsy Ross made the first Stars and Stripes..." SOURCE: "The Stars and the Stripes: The American Flag as Art and as History from the Birth of the Republic to the Present" by Boleslaw and Marie-Louise D'Otrange Mastai, Alfred Knopf, New York, 1973 OUR REPLY: Cite your sources. Which historians are you referring to who actually negate the possibility?

"...there could certainly be no very logical reason for replacing the Great or Grand Union Flag with a national banner of new design." SOURCE: "The History of the United States Flag" by Milo M. Quaife, Melvin J. Weig, and Roy E. Appleman, Harper and Row, New York, Evanston, and London, 1961 OUR REPLY: Confusion with a flag of surrender would be very logical. See earlier on this page. In summary Historically, the story of Betsy Ross remains unresolved. She was familiar to Washington and to George Ross, her husband's uncle, and the testimony of her decendents is consistent with the facts we do have. Is her story a fiction, a partial truth, completely true? We may never know for sure, but we do hope future historians can shed additional light on this unresolved question. The Betsy Ross Flag Story - Did Betsy Ross really make the first American flag? | HowStuffWorks Did Betsy Ross really make the first American flag? AP Photo /Amy Sancetta Curiously, the colonists never heard the Betsy Ross story. In fact, it didn't become popular until nearly a century after its supposed occurrence.

In 1870, Ross' grandson, William Canby, publicized the story in a speech to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania for his paper "The History of the Flag of the United States." Although Canby could offer no concrete evidence, he claimed he'd heard the story straight from his grandmother. Canby explained that Col. George Washington was a family friend who had frequently visited Ross' shop professionally and socially before the famous encounter. However, no written evidence suggests that Washington knew or did business with Ross. On the other hand, historians know that George Ross, another of the three visitors in the story, was the uncle of John Ross, Betsy's husband who'd recently died in a gunpowder explosion. It's certainly plausible that if George Ross were looking for a seamstress, he'd go to Betsy Ross. Up Next Was there a real John Henry? One could suppose that hard evidence from Congress could put this matter to rest. After all, the story claims that the three visitors represented a congressional committee. Unfortunately, this evidence isn't as conclusive as we might expect.

We know that Congress passed a law about the flag on June 14, 1777, which included vague language about the flag having 13 red and white stripes and 13 white stars on a blue field. Yet there's no surviving evidence of a congressional flag committee in 1776. Some maintain that even if there were such a committee, Washington, who was not a member of Congress, wouldn't have been be a part of it [source: Crews ]. Among the scant evidence surrounding the story, one other item stands out. The record shows that on May 29, 1777, the Pennsylvania State Navy Board paid Ross a notable sum for her work making American flags [source: Betsy Ross House ]. Although this doesn't necessarily mean she sewed the first flag, it's clear she was involved in making early American flags. But we haven't yet touched on another facet of this controversy. Some historians claim that if anyone deserves credit for designing the first American flag, it's Francis Hopkinson. Besty Ross House – Women in U.S.

History How We Remember: Women in Post-Revolutionary America by Maggie Lindrooth While the credibility of the story of Betsy Ross is debatable among the historical community [1] , the American public continues to visit the Betsy Ross House in droves, flocking to learn about the fabled flag-maker and the story of the so-called “first flag.” Located on 2nd and Arch Streets in Old City, Philadelphia, Ross is believed to have lived in what is now the Betsy Ross House museum from 1776-1779, during which time, according to legend, she created the first American flag. Ross’s story became popular during the last third of the 19th Century. [2] With the help of her descendents, the story gained both popularity and widespread public acceptance. Despite persisting doubts in the credibility of the story of the “first flag” as constructed by Ross’s relatives, the house museum, opened in 1898, has continued to promulgate the idea of Betsy Ross as patriot and flag-maker. The museum creates a shrine-like atmosphere, focusing more on reconstructing fable than on factuality.

However, while the museum itself is questionable in its representation, it provides insight into the larger issue of the way that women are portrayed in early American history. In honor of Women’s History Month, the Betsy Ross House featured appearances by a washerwoman, Phillis, who provided authenticity and a glimpse of what life was like for working women during the late 18th Century. This, rather than the myth of Betsy Ross, gave an effective and interesting look into the lives of 18th Century women. Questions of fact and myth aside, the Betsy Ross House serves an important function—to acknowledge and explain the lives of women in the 18th Century. The Betsy Ross House museum was carefully organized and labeled in a way that reinforced “the cult of Betsy.” The rooms themselves were full of objects and reproductions that purportedly belonged to Ross, including a bible, a walnut chest-on-chest, Chippendale and Sheraton side chairs, her eyeglasses, and her petticoat. These items were displayed in different locations throughout the house and served to highlight different aspects of Ross’s life.

The glasses and the bible were displayed in her bedroom, while downstairs in the cellar an interactive exhibit described foods Betsy would have eaten and how she was “so clever” for preserving them in her root cellar. The actor portraying Ross was a pretty young woman, sewing curtains in the room that functioned as the upholstery shop. She explained to passersby what she was working on, and described the experience of making the first flag. Visitors who made their way to the cellar of the house during the month of March were greeted by Phillis, a freed African-American laundress, as part of the Women’s History Month event Women at Work in Revolutionary America. As part of the reason I chose to visit the Betsy Ross House, I made sure to ask Phillis about her work and her life. She explained that each laundress had her own route and neighborhood that she served. Although work was not usually contracted long-term, Phillis explained that she worked for the woman who lived in what is now the house museum on a monthly basis. However, most houses, she said, were simply a matter of luck and good timing—she would often go door-to-door and knock, asking the woman in charge of the house if the laundry needed to be done.

I asked her if there was competition for work, and she said that although there were many laundresses, it was common for each washerwoman to stake out a piece of “territory”—usually several city blocks, in which she would work.. As I knew little about the lives of ordinary women during this time previous to this semester, I was interested to discover that, according to discover that, according to historian Carole Shammas in her article Female Social Structure of Philadelphia in 1775, only 2.3 percent of female heads of household in the Chestnut and East Mulberry Wards worked as washerwomen in 1775. [3] Interestingly, it seems that Ross too was in the minority of female occupations, as only 4.6 percent of women in these wards worked as artisans, including glovers and upholsterers. [4] This sheds light on the fact that regardless of whether Betsy Ross sewed the first flag for George Washington, her occupation set her apart as a woman who, though married several times, pursued her trade and had a successful business making curtains, flags, and other household linens.

Phillis the washerwoman and Betsy Ross, though very different from one another, shed light on the lives of women not through their great accomplishments as patriots, but rather through their occupations, which spoke to a level of confidence and self-assuredness regardless of the money they made. Much of the Betsy Ross House felt rather contrived and at times overly-mythologized, but the Women at Work exhibit gave an interesting, insightful overview of women like Phillis, who more often than not are passed over in larger histories in favor of legendary figures like Betsy Ross. The majority of the house museum allowed me to see just how persistent and entrenched the Betsy Ross myth really is—the entire museum was organized around stories passed down from Ross’s relatives, who by 1870, had begun to promulgate the myth of Betsy Ross and the American flag. [5] There is little to no evidence, as Laurel Thatcher Ulrich points out in her article How Betsy Ross Became Famous, that Ross herself invented the flag’s design, and rather that she was simply hired to make Pennsylvania naval flags in 1777. [6] In fact, different versions of the flag abounded.

However, Ulrich goes on to attest, it is not the flag that matters, but Betsy herself. Betsy Ross, the so-called creator of the flag and ordinary seamstress, holds a place in the hearts of the American people precisely because she was so normal. [7] She fills a void in early American history with her story—in a time swirling with romantic ideas and tales of the founding fathers, Ross provides a female figure—a patriot, a “talented businesswoman” [8] , and a wife who, although she led an average life, has managed to cement herself firmly in the American popular consciousness. She represents a way for women to connect with the glorious American beginnings—a role that women like Phillis, whose lives were equally as average and equally important, are unable to fulfill. Due to her descendants’ carefully crafted and passed-down stories, Ross’s legacy endures and has become the stuff of legend. However, we must keep in mind the women like Phillis—the women who perhaps had no offspring, or whose descendants were unable to tell her story. For they, too, are the face of 18th Century America.

Works Cited [1] Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, “How Betsy Ross Became Famous,” Common Place 8, no. 1 (2007). Accessed January 26, 2016, Historic Philadelphia - First American Flag | Historic Philadelphia Historic Philadelphia Groups First American Flag History While there is no doubt that the real Betsy Ross was worthy of interest in her own right, it is the legend of Betsy sewing the first stars and stripes that has made her an unforgettable historical figure. The Betsy Ross story was brought to public attention in 1870 by her grandson, William Canby, in a speech he made to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. Canby and other members of Betsy's family signed sworn affidavits stating that they heard the story of the making of the first flag from Betsy's own mouth. According to the oral history, in 1776, three men-George Washington, Robert Morris, and George Ross, visited Betsy Ross in her upholstery shop. She escorted them to her parlor, where they could have a private meeting. Here, Washington pulled a folded piece of paper from his inside coat pocket.

On it, was a sketch of a flag with thirteen red and white stripes and thirteen six pointed stars. Washington asked if Betsy could make a flag from the design. Betsy responded: "I do not know, but I will try." This line was used in the sworn statements of many of Betsy's family members, suggesting that it is a direct quote from Betsy. As the story goes, Betsy suggested changing the stars to five points rather than six. She showed them how to do it with just one snip of her scissors. They all agreed to change the design to have stars with five points. Despite the absence of written records to prove the story, there are several reasons why historians believe it could be so: George Ross, a member of the Flag committee, was the uncle of Betsy's late husband, John. This could be one reason why Betsy was chosen to make the first flag. It was common for upholsterers to take up other forms of work during wartime. They were no longer getting their regular upholstery work, so many upholsterers made money by making tents, uniforms, and flags for the soldiers.

On May 29, 1777, Betsy Ross was paid a large sum of money from the Pennsylvania State Navy Board for making flags. On June 14, 1777, Congress adopted the Stars and Stripes as our official national flag. Betsy continued to make flags for the rest of her career. So, historical fact or well-loved legend, the story of Betsy Ross is as American as apple pie. After your visit, decide what YOU believe! More flag resources Two Conundrums Concerning the Betsy Ross Five-Pointed Star: the Provenance of the Pattern-for-Stars Artifact and the Surprising Incompleteness of Fold and One-Cut Descriptions for Making the Star Arnold Tubis ( email ) Department of Physics (Ret.), Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN Visiting Fellow, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA Crystal E.

Mills ( email ) California Mathematics Council ComMuniCator, Clayton, CA Presented in ushistory.org by kind permission of the authors Introduction The five-pointed star, which appears on many flags and standards, almost universally has the shape of a pentagram (Figure 1), whose construction is closely tied to that of a regular pentagon.(1) It is sometimes referred to as a “perfect” five-pointed star and (especially in the USA) a “Betsy Ross” star. This latter name is linked to the historically controversial Betsy Ross flag story that involves Ross’s alleged making (by a fold and one-cut method) a five-pointed star before a visiting committee headed by George Washington in May or June of 1776. Since the 1980s, the story has been a subject of renewed scholarly interest. See, e.g., Timmons and Yarrington (1983), Morris (1982), Harker (2005), and especially Miller (2010), the first comprehensive historical examination of the life and times of Betsy Ross.

In the world of origami, the Betsy Ross flag story has been prominently referenced as an early pre-curser of modern fold and one-cut algorithms (Demaine and Demaine, 2004; Demaine and O’Rourke, 2007). (2) In this paper, we address two puzzling aspects of the fold and one-cut Betsy Ross star: 1) the properties and provenance of the Pattern for Stars Artifact, a material item that has been claimed to support the flag story; and 2) the surprising incompleteness, which can be easily remedied using elementary geometry, of almost all presentations in books, articles and on the Internet of fold and one-cut procedures (2) for making the star. Reeves Wetherill and the Pattern for Stars Artifact The Pattern for Stars Artifact (Figure 2) is a folded 5"x 8" piece of paper with a partial scissor cut (that gives an approximate pentagram shape) and the lead pencil inscription: H. C. Wilson, Betsey Ross, pattern for stars.

First-hand information about it has so far been found in just two short articles in the Philadelphia Inquirer, records of the Atwater Kent Museum of Philadelphia, and the book of Morris (1982). The Inquirer articles are contained in the scrapbooks of Reeves Wetherill of Philadelphia, which are now archived in the Atwater Kent Museum. The first article (from either 1962 or 63) announces that the star pattern, described as being “yellowed with age” would be on exhibit at Wanamaker’s (in the Rug Department). The second one from June, 1963 is by Ruth Seltzer, who wrote a column called The Philadelphia Scene. Her article reads as follows: AN EXCITING DISCOVERY regarding flag-maker Betsy Ross was revealed day before yesterday at a festive Flag Week Luncheon in the Burgundy Room of the Bellevue-Strafford. The timing was interesting. It was the 20th annual luncheon staged by the Woman’s Committee of the Philadelphia Flag Day Association. Presiding at the anniversary celebration was Mrs. Gustav Ketterer, who ran the first lunch in 1943 and has been chairman ever since. Mrs.

Ketterer introduced the speakers — Mrs. Joseph Carson and Reeves Weatherill. In her speech, Mrs. Carson revealed that a paper pattern made by Betsy Ross exists here in Philadelphia — Betsy’s pattern for her five-point star. The folded star can be cut with a single snip of the scissors. The pattern was brought to the luncheon by Mr. Wetherill. It was found back in 1922 by his father, the late Abel P. Wetherill, who employed a safecracker to open a safe. The safe, which had belonged to ancestor Samuel Wetherill, hadn’t been opened in over a century. There was a pistol in the safe, with a bullet still in it. There was a deed signed by John Penn. But the most fascinating discovery was the star pattern. This old piece of folded paper is alleged to have been given to Samuel Wetherill by Clarissa Claypoole Wilson. Clarissa was Betsy’s daughter by her third husband, John Claypoole. Samuel Wetherill was a founder of the Society of Free or Fighting Quakers. He was a life-long friend of Betsy.

“Betsy’s star pattern is the missing link as far as I’m concerned,” Reeves Wetherill told us. “Why would so small a piece of paper be stored in a safe unless it had real significance?” Declared Mr. Wetherill: “I plan to give the pattern to the Betsy Ross House.” Who said Betsy didn’t make the first flag? A little piece of paper seems to prove she did! Timmons and Yarrington (1983) reference the Seltzer article as their source of information about the artifact. Harker (2005) references Timmons and Yarrington. However he states that, according to the present-day Clerk of the Society of Free Quakers, the safe did not belong to Samuel Wetherill, but to a Wetherill of a later generation. Morris (1982) does not reference the Seltzer article but on page 116, Reeves Wetherill is quoted as saying that: “The safe, unopened, remained in my family for many years.

One day, about 1925, my father invited me to go to town on Sunday because he had hired a safe blower to open the original Samuel Wetherill safe .... It was blown open and in it we found the star with notations ....“ Reeves is also quoted as saying that: “long ago he loaned the star to the Atwater Kent Museum and while there it was examined scientifically for verification and it .... checked out perfectly by chemical analysis as to its age.” In a personal communications to us, Jeffery R. Ray, Senior Curator, Philadelphia History Museum at the Atwater Kent, said that the paper artifact was indeed loaned to the Atwater Kent Museum in 1940, and that the Museum had a working relationship with the Franklin Institute, where an analysis might have occurred. Ray is currently searching the Atwater Kent and Franklin Institute records to see if tests were actually carried out. (3) Figure 1. The pentagram in relation to the regular pentagon. John Balderston Harker, with permission Figure 2. The Pattern for Stars Artifact folded from a 5½” x 8” rectangle. Completing the partial cut on the left gives a fairly accurate pentagram shape.

Reeves Wetherill, who died in 1992, was a rather colorful person. As vice-president for public relations at the John Wanamaker Department Store, he hosted, interviewed and entertained many famous visitors to Philadelphia and was commonly referred to as Philadelphia’s official greeter. He was a descendant of Christopher Wetherill, who settled in Burlington County, NJ in 1683. Among his ancestors was Samuel Wetherill, the founder (in 1781) of the Free Quakers, who broke away from the Religious Society of Friends to support the American fight for independence. Reeves served as clerk of the Society of Free Quakers for 30 years, and worked for the preservation of the Free Quakers Meeting House at Fifth and Arch Street. He also collected manuscripts, books, and pamphlets about the society, and donated them to the Pennsylvania Philosophical Society. Because Betsy Ross and her third husband, John Claypoole, joined the Free Quakers in 1785, and she was a friend of Samuel Wetherill, the artifact has been used to support the above-mentioned flag story.

Reeves Wetherill donated it to the Free Quakers, and for many years, it was on display at the Society of Free Quakers Meeting House. It was photographed many times [see, e.g., Timmons and Yarrington (1983) and Harker (2005].(4) It was unfortunately stolen from its unlocked display case in 2004. The photos do not indicate that folding techniques were used to determine the precise location of the scissor cut. Folding and One-Cutting a Pentagram Shape from an Unmarked Rectangle It is a fairly straightforward problem in geometry to fold and one-cut from an unmarked rectangle, not only a near perfect pentagram shape but also the shapes of any arbitrary regular polygon and its associated star polygon(s) (e.g., Tubis and Mills, 2005, 2009, 2010).

The procedure in the case of a pentagram shape involves first dividing (exactly or approximately) a straight angle into five equal angles of measure 36° and then determining the placement of the scissor cut via folds (5) that define an isosceles triangle with internal angles of measures 18°, 144°, and 18°. We illustrate in Figures 3a and 3b the folding/one-cutting procedure involved in the case of 8- inch x 10 inch paper (the paper size favored in most of the Internet presentations). Note the 18° — 144° — 18° isosceles triangle defined by crease lines and the cut line in Step 10. The procedure in Tubis and Mills (2010) can be used to fold and one-cut a pentagram shape from any rectangular piece of paper. Figure 4 shows one of the many possible fold/one-cut procedures for making the pentagram shape from a starting square (the widely used starting paper shape in contemporary origami). The steps in Figure 4 can also be easily modified so as to apply to the case of any arbitrary starting paper rectangle.

Incompleteness of Instructions for Folding and One-Cutting the Betsy Ross Star In view of the simple geometry involved, it is surprising that all of the many Internet websites and YouTube videos we have surveyed that purport to show: ”how to fold and one-cut a Betsy Ross five pointed star” fail to indicate how to exactly determine, by folding alone, the final scissor cut. For a typical example, see: enchantedlearning.com/crafts/Star.shtml . With no folding landmarks given, the cut in step 5 is only vaguely specified. It is therefore highly likely that following the current instructions will lead to a star whose points are “too fat or too thin”. With the exception of Tubis and Mills (2005, 2009, 2010), the lack of crease landmarks for the cut is also characteristic of all the fold and one-cut instructions for five-pointed stars we have found so far in books and articles written over the past century and a half.

See, e.g., Ball (1892), Maltby (1894), Popular Science Monthly (1916), Houdini (1922), Leeming (1939), Loe ( 1955), Thompson (1972), Temko (1974), and Franco (1999). The book of Maltby is significant, because it contains a substantive amount of origami geometry and heavily reflects the influence in America of the paper folding/cutting approach to early mathematics education promoted worldwide by Friedrich Froebel (1782–1852) and his followers. Apparently, the book was used extensively in the training of teachers in Pennsylvania. The fold and one-cut star described in it is clearly meant to be one appearing in the American flag. The cut line however is simply indicated without an explanation of how it was determined. The stars in the Ball, Houdini, Leeming, and Temko books are not claimed to have the shape of a pentagram. The one in the book by Loe definitely has the pentagram shape, but a 18° template is used in making it.

Thompson (1972), and Timmins and Yarrington (1981) contain a description, taken from the World Book Encyclopedia, of how to fold/one-cut a Betsy Ross star from a square. The resulting star is asymmetric, that is, not all of the star points have the same shape, and all of the points are “too fat.” The lack of folding guidelines for the scissor cut in Franco (1999) is surprising since this book was specifically written in an attempt to integrate origami with mainstream high school mathematics. Biddle and Biddle (1993) present a novel way, which was invented by Shuzo Fujimoto of Japan, to fold, without cutting, a pentagram shape using A4 paper. An interesting early mathematical study of the fold/one-cut aspects of the Betsy Ross star was that of the Philadelphia author, editor and Historical Society member Charles J. Lukens (Lukens, 1873). George Henry Preble, a noted flag historian, had requested that Lukens do this study.

Only two pages of the Lukens drawings are now accessible.(8) On the first page, he drew a pentagram shape with the aid of a compass and straight edge. He then correctly indicated the fact that after the paper is properly folded so that all of the 10 sides of the pentagram shape are on top of each other, the cut line will coincide with one of the sides. He also showed how to start folding the paper so as to arrange the 10 sides of the pentagram shape on top of one another prior to the making the cut. However, his drawings do not make clear, at least to us, how the cut line was to be determined if only an unmarked sheet of paper was used. Discussion The Betsy Ross flag story is probably destined to remain historically controversial. We can only hope that some useful information concerning the artifact will be found in the archives of the Atwater Kent Museum and the Franklin Institute, and/or that the artifact will be recovered so that tests can be done on it to assess the credibility of its possible connection with the flag story.

It is important to note that: 1) the cut line of the artifact gives a slight but noticeable deviation from a pentagram shape for the star; and 2) the absent crease landmarks for the cut in the artifact could easily have been made on the basis of simple geometric reasoning that has been known since, and probably well before, the time of Euclid (300 BCE). Therefore, even if the connection of the artifact to Betsy Ross is eventually established, it is doubtful that her making of a fold and one-cut star was based on detailed knowledge of the geometry that she may have learned in school. It is more likely that she had previous experience in making stars from her work in upholstery, in which the correct cut line was determined by a “practiced eye” or perhaps with the aid of an angle template. (9) It should be noted that the five-pointed stars on many early American flags, and even one allegedly made in 1861 by Betsy Ross’s daughter, Clarissa Claypoole Wilson, have shapes that deviate significantly from that of a pentagram.

Therefore it should not be surprising that the artifact gives only an imperfect pentagram shape.(10) In any case, as emphasized by Miller (2010), the many well-documented aspects of Ross’s life as a wife, mother, businesswoman, flag maker, and patriot firmly establish her as a significant presence in American history, and the flag story, even if never corroborated, will undoubtedly continue to be a notable part of our national folklore. The Betsy Ross flag story constitutes a unique gift to grade K–12 educators and students. There are obviously many creative and effective ways of using it at various levels of sophistication to design classroom activities that relate to American history and the role of women in it, origami, and, of course, mathematics; algebra, geometry, trigonometry. As we have shown elsewhere (Tubis and Mills, 2005, 2009, 2010), it can naturally lead to rich explorations of fold/one-cut regular polygons and star polygons with arbitrary numbers of sides.

The general lack of folding landmarks for the cut line in almost all “popular” presentations over the years of how to fold/one-cut the Betsy Ross star is yet another sign of the generally shallow public knowledge of geometry. Its absence even in recent origami books designed to supplement geometry education, such as Franco (1999), is even more disturbing. At the very least, the plethora of incomplete instructions for folding/one-cutting the star should be remedied by making more generally known the two simple extra folding steps required to determine the cut line. Historic Philadelphia - Official Betsy Ross House - Tour, Tickets & Programs | Historic Philadelphia Groups Betsy Ross House The well-known and loved story of Betsy Ross sewing the first Stars & Stripes is tightly woven into the colorful fabric of America's rich history. The Betsy Ross House, the birthplace of the American flag, is alive with the sights and sounds of the 18th century. Tour the house and then stay a while longer to learn more about Betsy and her exciting life and times through our interactive, historical programming. Location & Hours The Betsy Ross House is located in Philadelphia's charming Historic District at 239 Arch Street .

December 6 – February 28, 2017 Tuesdays – Sundays, 10 am - 5 pm. The Betsy Ross House will be closed January 30 through February 3 (Open Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day). Admission Group Tours Planning a group trip to Philadelphia? The Betsy Ross House offers discounted admission to ALL groups of 20 or more. Experience the history of this iconic landmark and meet the First Lady of the Stars & Stripes! New Exhibit Coming Soon! Historic Threads: 250 Years of Flag Making in Philadelphia The Betsy Ross House will be unveiling a new exhibit in early 2017. Most people know about Betsy Ross’ famous flag, but she is not the only flag maker who stitched her way into the fabric of Philadelphia’s history. This exhibit will explore the rich history of flag making in Philadelphia, from 13-star flags stitched in 1776 to Presidential flags hand-embroidered today. Hear Betsy's Story With An Audio Tour! Now when you tour this authentic 18th-century home you can meet Betsy and listen to her story of love, death and the Revolutionary War.

Come and experience the birthplace of the American flag as you hear all about Betsy Ross’s life - the business woman, revolutionary, mother and wife. Kid’s Audio Tours Available! Now kids ages 4 – 8 can tour the house as they learn about Betsy Ross, the flag and life in the 18th century while they solve 13 “history mysteries.” Tickets Children/Seniors/Military/Students:$6 BUY TICKETS » Hours December 6 – February 28, 2017 Tuesdays – Sundays, 10 am - 5 pm. The Betsy Ross House will be closed January 30 through February 3 (Open Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day). Tour the House» Meet Betsy in Her Upholstery Shop Meet Betsy in person, hard at work plying her trade, and have the chance to ask the famous lady, not only about how she came to sew the nation's first Stars & Stripes, but all about her fascinating life and business. See real upholsterer's tools and learn first-hand how they were used in this exhibit made possible with the support of American Express.

Hours December 6 – February 28, 2017 Tuesdays – Sundays, 10 am - 5 pm. The Betsy Ross House will be closed January 30 through February 3 (Open Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day). Special Exhibits Women at Work in Revolutionary America This new interactive exhibit highlights the household tasks performed by women in the 18th century, specifically food shopping and laundry, and the women who performed them. A Museum in the Making: The American Flag House & Betsy Ross Memorial Association, 1898 - 1941 Betsy Ross House tells its own story in the brand new exhibit, A Museum in the Making: The American Flag House & Betsy Ross Memorial Association, 1898 - 1941. Through archival photos and one-of-a-kind museum artifacts, learn how a group of everyday citizens came together to transform a humble home into a treasured landmark. Ruth Graham Ruth Graham is a regular Slate contributor. She lives in New Hampshire. According to the whitewashed legend, Betsy Ross was a mild-mannered seamstress living in Philadelphia.

Sometime in 1776, General George Washington and two other members of the Continental Congress entered the Widow Ross' humble home and asked her to make a flag. Washington had the idea to incorporate six-pointed stars, but Ross demonstrated a clever folding method that produced a five-pointed star with a single snip of the scissors, making it easier to mass-produce. The general approved the design, and the rest is history. The cleaned-up version of Ross's story couldn't have been more appealing if it were written by Frank Capra. Fundamentally democratic, it includes an ordinary American rewarded for cleverness and common sense, a woman triumphing through domestic arts, and the approval of George Washington himself. Historian Michael Frisch has written that Ross occupies a similar place in American history as the Virgin Mary occupies in the Christian story: "Washington [as God the Father] calls on the humble seamstress Betsy Ross in her tiny home and asks if she will make the nation's flag, to his design.

And Betsy promptly brings forth—from her lap!—the nation itself, and the promise of freedom and natural rights for all mankind." Advertisement It would be easy to blame the tidying up of the Ross story on fusty historians with an aversion to outspoken women, but the truth is more complicated. Ross apparently told a version of this yarn herself in her dotage, but it was her grandson, William Canby, who propelled it into the national consciousness. In 1870, he read a paper expounding on it to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, based on affidavits signed by several other descendents. The tale was an immediate hit. The timing was right, too. The U.S. centennial in 1876 prompted a flurry of interest in Canby's tale. There were few prominent female figures in the standard story of the country's early years, so artists, teachers, and politicians eagerly latched on to Ross, along with Abigail Adams and Molly Pitcher. Her celebrity snowballed throughout the 20th century, when you could find Betsy Ross dolls, songs, sewing machines, pageants, pianos, decanters, paintings, and even Pez dispensers.

And though the veracity of her story was publicly questioned as early as 1872, she remains a popular figure. More than 260,000 people toured her home in Philadelphia last year. Get Slate in your inbox. In myth, Betsy Ross is clever and girlish. Chauncey Hotchkiss's 1901 biography Betsy Ross: A Romance of the Flag has her teasingly correcting George Washington about his initial flag design, blushing at her own charming impudence, and finally, "with two great tears hanging on her lashes," giving Washington credit for the flag. In Canby's account, Ross replies to Washington "with her usual modesty and self reliance, that 'she did not know but she could try; she had never made one but if the pattern were shown to her she had not doubt of her ability to do it.' " Her legend also has her crafting lace for Washington's shirt, which Miller concludes is almost certainly apocryphal but nonetheless adds to her delicate image.

Though it's hard to be confident about personality quirks from a distance of more than 200 years, the Ross that emerges in Marla Miller's biography was apparently made of much tougher stuff than Hotchkiss' tearful "little widow." Born Elizabeth Griscom in 1752, she was widowed three times and remarried twice with a speed that Miller points out was unusual for the time. Her first wedding was held in a New Jersey tavern. Since it took place outside the Quaker society of her youth, she left the church; she would later join the upstart Free Quakers, a group made up of former members who had been "disowned" for various infractions. Ross further defied her pacifist Quaker upbringing in support of the Revolution. Though myth has Ross contributing to the flag's design out of devout patriotism, in reality she was a businesswoman. And though early storytellers call her a "seamstress," conjuring visions of prim needlework in the parlor, she was, in fact, an upholsterer, a profession that attracted both women and men. Eighteenth-century upholstery work included heavy tasks like assembling curtains, stuffing mattresses, and covering chairs.

Flag-making itself was no delicate enterprise. In 1810—Ross's most prolific flag-making years were during Jefferson and Madison's presidencies, not the early years of the Revolution—she made six garrison flags for a military installation on the Gulf Coast. Each flag required 100,000 stitches and measured 432 square feet. But she wasn't one to turn down work; she took eager advantage of the money that flowed into Philadelphia as it became the national capitol and as successive wars funneled military contract money into the city. Maybe the strongest reason the myth caught on is because it gave Americans a comforting image of womanhood. As historian Laurel Thatcher Ulrich put it in a 2007 paper , "Betsy became famous, not because of what she did or didn't do in the 1770s, but because her story embodied nineteenth-century ideas about the place of women." The Ross of legend is resourceful, dexterous, patriotic, modest, and a skilled craftswoman who has lost her husband but receives a stamp of approval from a powerful man. That this just-so story could also serve as a nationalist creation myth made it all the more attractive.

Ross is not the only early American to be transformed into a wholesome Norman Rockwell figure for public consumption, of course. Think of deist Thomas Jefferson, philandering Ben Franklin, and even Johnny Appleseed, who, as Michael Pollan pointed out, was actually planting those apple trees for distilleries . It's an American habit to scrub clean the ones we love. In Betsy Ross's case, however, there's plenty to admire in the scruffier original. In fact, that pragmatic capitalist mom is more authentically American than any character a storybook writer could dream up.

Question: Betsy Ross was a figure in the history of the USA in what century?
Answer: 18th