Thinking About the American Flag...what do you know about its history? By Gail L. Jenner

Although the 4^th of July is usually part “work day” on our ranch (eg: raking or baling hay, irrigating, and/or hauling hay), the afternoon and evening is always a great time for our family. 

But after the work is done (or a portion of it!!), the fun begins: sometimes we go fishing; sometimes we get out tubes and rafts; occasionally we go up into the hills or out on a lake, but usually we end up with fireworks (which are legal here) and we usually have a BBQ or potluck. I make no less than 3 or 4 pies, including cream pies and/or rhubarb or apple or berry pies, and everyone brings their favorite dish. We traditionally make homemade ice cream and the kids love getting a chance to turn the crank (I used to love it when we had a milk cow and got fresh cream).

Still, as I was preparing food and getting the yard ready for this year’s celebration—including hanging some bunting and a few smaller flags—I began to wonder about some of the more obscure facts regarding our flag’s history. I decided I’d like to share something more than the few random facts we all “assume” to be true with our grandkids, so I sat down and scanned a couple books and the Internet. Of course I found some intriguing details.

Probably most of us assume we know some of the flag’s history; after all, didn’t Betsy Ross stitch it while suffering through the Revolutionary War? And the 13 stripes represent the original colonies. And didn’t a war-torn flag inspire the words of the “Star-Spangled Banner,” written by Francis Scott Key?

Well, Betsy was not the flag’s creator; the first flag was actually designed—not by Betsy Ross—but by Francis Hopkinson, a Congressman from New Jersey. Records from the Continental Congress reveal that Hopkinson clearly designed the flag. The “story” involving Betsy Ross did not emerge for another 94 years and was first told by one of her grandsons. Since there was no official flag during the first year of the United States, there were a great number of homespun flag designs, but it is generally accepted that the first flag had 13 stars arranged in a circle. And it is still referred to as the "Betsy Ross" flag!

  

It wasn’t until June 14, 1777 that the Continental Congress passed the first Flag Act, 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.”

So while the flag had 13 stars on a blue background, and 13 stripes made of alternating red and white panels in the beginning, in 1794, two new stars were added—making 15—because Vermont and Kentucky had joined the United States. After that, new stars were added as new states were created, and July 4 was designated the official day to add any new stars. So, while there are now 50 stars on the blue background, the number of stars and stripes has remained fixed at 13 to symbolize the original colonies.

The colors of the flag are also symbolic: white represents purity and innocence; red represents courage and valor; and blue symbolizes justice, perseverance and vigilance. In addition, the stars were chosen to symbolize heaven and the nation’s “divine” goals, while the stripes represent rays of sunshine.

Interestingly, it was President Taft who, in 1912, authorized the flag’s standardized proportions and official arrangement of stars (with six rows of eight each). Until then, flags were often homemade and lacked a consistent design.

Than, in January 1959, President Eisenhower authorized rearranging the stars into seven rows, with seven stars each; however, in August 1959, he ordered that the stars be arranged in nine rows staggered horizontally and 11 rows staggered vertically.

Most interesting—and certainly not well known—it was a student, Robert G. Heft, who designed our present-day flag as a school assignment when Hawaii and Alaska were being considered for statehood. Incredibly, his teacher remarked that Robert’s sketch “lacked creativity” and gave it only a B-, then added that if his drawing was adopted by Congress, he would receive a higher mark. Robert sent his drawing off to his Congressional representative, and it ultimately became our national flag!

As to flying the flag, here are some considerations: When displaying the American flag there should always be some source of light—either sunlight or some other kind of light. This is why flags are often lowered at night and raised in the morning. And, of course, when lowering the flag, it should never touch the ground. Also, if the flag becomes too worn and cannot be restored to its “original condition,” it should be burned “with dignity,” or properly folded and sent to either the American Legion, the Boy Scouts, or the Girl Scouts—all organizations that practice proper flag retirement etiquette.
 

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