1777 Congress Adopts The Stars and Stripes During the American Revolution, the Continental Congress adopts a resolution stating that "the flag of the United States be thirteen alternate stripes red and white" and that "the Union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation." The national flag, which became known as the "Stars and Stripes," was based on the "Grand Union" flag, a banner carried by the Continental Army in 1776 that also consisted of 13 red and white stripes. According to legend, Philadelphia seamstress Betsy Ross designed the new canton for the Stars and Stripes, which consisted of a circle of 13 stars and a blue background, at the request of General George Washington. Historians have been unable to conclusively prove or disprove this legend.
With the entrance of new states into the United States after independence, new stripes and stars were added to represent new additions to the Union. In 1818, however, Congress enacted a law stipulating that the 13 original stripes be restored and that only stars be added to represent new states.
On June 14, 1877, the first Flag Day observance was held on the 100th anniversary of the adoption of the Stars and Stripes. As instructed by Congress, the U.S. flag was flown from all public buildings across the country. In the years after the first Flag Day, several states continued to observe the anniversary, and in 1949 Congress officially designated June 14 as Flag Day, a national day of observance.
6 comments:
Thank you for that post!
Bethe Ienjoyed this ..love Jan xx
Enjoy your Sunday.
Missie
Great entry for Flag Day.
xx
Lisa
Cool entry :o) and of course June 14th 1977 I was born :) Brill day lol
Jenny
http://journals.aol.co.uk/Jmoqueen/MyLife
The legend is doubtful, told thity yeas later bt BR relative. BR was an interesting women in her own right and she did make flags, but the GW story iws mostlikely a myth. Try Fransis Hopkinson.
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