Unfurling the Facts

Here are 5 fascinating facts about our grand old flag.

Did you know?
General George Washington's first battle flag carried the British Union Jack in its upper left corner. American Revolutionaries combined the Union Jack with 13 red and white stripes to demonstrate that while loyal to England, they were also committed to justice for the 13 colonies.

Betsy who?
Most historians now discredit the legend that Philadelphia seamstress Betsy Ross produced the first American flag in 1776. It is a fact that the pre-Union Pennsylvania government asked Betsy to sew flags for its navy—but others whose names are now forgotten were also asked to do so.

Grand Old Birthday
On June 14, 1777, the new Continental Congress 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."

Indivisible
During the Civil War, Lincoln's advisers, reflecting the view of many Northerners, wanted him to order the removal of the 11 stars representing the rebellious states. Lincoln replied that his mission as President was to preserve the Union at all costs. How could he allow the stars of the Confederate states to be stricken from the flag when so much blood was being spilled to keep them?

For All
The Pledge of Allegiance was first published in The Youth's Companion children's magazine in 1892 as part of a national public school celebration. Written by Francis Bellamy, it has gone through several revisions over the years, including the addition of the phrase "one nation under God," which President Eisenhower signed into law on Flag Day 1954.