Flag Day: Celebrating the Stars and Stripes in the United States

What do you know about Flag Day in the United States?

The American Revolution began in 1775 without a single flag. Most battalions fighting the British for independence flew their own flags. The Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia in June 1775 to form the Continental Army, a cohesive colonial military force, to combat its colonial oppressors. The Continental Colors—the first “American” flag—was created.

This flag, with 13 red and white alternating stripes and a Union Jack in the corner, was too similar to the British flag. George Washington saw that flying a flag that resembled the British banner did not inspire confidence in the revolutionary cause, so he focused on establishing a new emblem of freedom for the new nation.

On June 14, 1777, the Second Continental Congress took a break from writing the Articles of Confederation and passed a resolution that “the flag of the United States be 13 stripes, alternate red and white” and “the union be 13 stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.” President Woodrow Wilson declared June 14 Flag Day 100 years later in 1916. 

Background

The Continental Congress replaced the British insignia of the Grand Union flag with 13 white stars on a blue background and 13 red and white stripes—one for each state—on June 14, 1777. Historians generally credit Francis Hopkinson, not Betsy Ross, with designing this early flag. New Jersey delegate Hopkinson signed the Declaration of Independence.

As new states joined the Union, stars grew, but stripes stopped at 15 and eventually returned to 13.

Bernard 1886,and’s “The Fourteenth of June” article in the old Chicago Argus newspaper in June 1886 was his first public proposal for an annual flag birth anniversary. On June 14, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson declared Flag Day a national holiday, fulfilling Cigrand’s goal. In August 1949, President Harry Truman signed the law declaring June 14 Flag Day. Congress proposed that the President proclaim June 14 as National Flag Week yearly in 1966.

The President is requested to issue a proclamation each year to: call on US government officials to display the flag on all government buildings on Flag Day; and urge US residents to observe Flag Day as the anniversary of the Continental Congress’ adoption of the Stars and Stripes as the official flag of the US on June 14, 1777.

Symbols

The “star-spangled banner” or “Old Glory” has altered over time. It has 13 equal horizontal bands of red (top and bottom) alternating with white and a blue rectangle in the canton with 50 small, white, five-pointed stars. The 13 stripes reflect the 13 colonies that formed the first states in the Union, while the 50 stars represent the 50 states.

Flag Day was founded when

The Continental Congress approved a flag with 13 alternating red and white stripes and 13 white stars on a blue background on June 14, 1777. The 13-star flag was called the “Betsy Ross flag.”

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin observed Flag Day before it became a national holiday. In 1916 and 1927, Woodrow Wilson and Calvin Coolidge declared June 14 National Flag Day.

Congress enacted and President Harry Truman signed the national observance on Aug. 3, 1949. In 1966, Congress approved a resolution asking the president to declare June 14 as “National Flag Week” and encourage Americans to fly the flag.

Why do we honor the flag on Flag Day?

Flag Day honors America’s 13 flags by remembering them. The 1960 flag shows perseverance, according to President Joe Biden.

“It has flown on battlefields since the Revolution and reminded allies and adversaries throughout the last century that the darkness of autocracy is no match for the flame of liberty,” he said in a release.

Is Flag Day recognized as a national holiday?

Flag Day is a non-holiday national holiday. On Aug. 3, 1949, Congress declared June 14 Flag Day and requested that the president issue an annual proclamation requiring all federal government facilities to show the flag.

“I urge all Americans to observe Flag Day and National Flag Week by displaying the flag and honoring all of our brave service members and revering those who gave their last full measure of devotion defending our freedoms,” Biden stated in his 2023 proclamation.

How is Flag Day celebrated all over the country?

Americans display the flag properly on Flag Day. The 1942 U.S. Flag Code outlines proper flag presentation. The American Legion prohibits flying flags above or to the right of U.S. flags.

• Destroy unsuitable U.S. flags with dignity.
• Never touch flags.
• Fold flags triangularly.

 

Information about the American flag.

1. In 1885, a small-town Wisconsin teacher, Bernard Cigrand, proposed a national flag day. He led his school’s first formal holiday celebration. Cigrand, who eventually became a dentist in Illinois, advocated flag respect throughout his life.
2. Betsy Ross, who repaired clothing and tents for the Revolutionary War, is credited with making the first American flag. There is no indication that she created Old Glory. The American public learnt about her likely role in an 1870 press conference by her grandson William Canby. It was verified that Francis Hopkinson, a New Jersey delegate who signed the Declaration of Independence, designed the American flag.
3. Francis Scott Key wrote “The Star-Spangled Banner” after witnessing the Battle of Fort McHenry during the War of 1812. The popular British drinking song “To Anacreon in Heaven” accompanied his speech.
4. In the 1950s, designers began adding a 49th star to the American flag when it became clear Alaska would join the Union. Meanwhile, 17-year-old Ohio student Bob Heft grabbed his mother’s sewing machine, deconstructed his family’s 48-star flag, and sewed 50 stars in a proportional design. He submitted his project to his history teacher, predicting Hawaii’s statehood. 

After both states joined the Union, Heft submitted the flag to his congressman, Walter Moeller, who gave it to President Eisenhower. On July 4, 1960, Eisenhower and Heft raised the 50-star banner together. Heft’s teacher immediately upgraded his B to an A.

5. Flying a flag upside-down is not usually a protest, unlike burning one. It’s also a flag code distress signal.
6. The Flag Code prohibits wearing, bedding, or drapery made of stars and stripes.
7. Not only military veterans and government leaders drape coffins in the American flag. Any burial can follow this practice.
8. American flags should be displayed with sunlight or another light source.
9. Vietnam War protesters burned American flags. In response, the Flag Protection Act of 1968 outlawed burning or defacing the Stars and Stripes. Twenty years later, the Supreme Court found that outlawing flag desecration violated First Amendment rights. Respectful flag burning is always appropriate.
10. Flags should not touch the ground when taken down. The Flag Code prohibits Stars and Stripes rugs and carpets because the American flag should always fly.
11. Old Glory should always be at the top of a staff with city, state, locality, or organization flags. Flags of two or more nations should be the same size and flown from equal-height staffs.
12. The Flag Code forbids insignias, drawings, and other marks on the Stars and Stripes. Some American politicians have defied this rule by signing U.S. flags for their followers.
13. How to fold an American flag? First, stand facing each other and grab both corners of one of the rectangle’s shorter sides. Lift the bottom half of the flag above the blue field of stars together. Fold the flag lengthwise again to see the stars. At the striped end, fold a triangle with one corner up to the top. Fold the flag until only a star-studded blue triangle remains.

Conclusion

According to the Department of Veterans Affairs of the United States, the celebration honors the anniversary of the day, June 14, 1777, when the Continental Congress approved the design of a flag for the United States.

The flag included thirteen stars and thirteen stripes, each of which represented one of the original 13 colonies that comprised the United States. Weirdnewsera that you might not find any other platform which gives you all content about health sports business technology and entertainment.

FAQs

Why is Flag Day marked in the US?

Why it’s celebrated Flag Day commemorates the creation of the US flag in 1777, but it didn’t start then. On June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress approved a national flag.

What is done on Flag Day?

Flag Day? Flag Day is celebrated nationwide on June 14 with ceremonies to retire worn U.S. flags.

What is the circle of stars on a flag?

Rhode Island’s and Indiana’s flags feature the Betsy Ross design’s circle of 13 stars.

Betsy Ross: Did she make the first flag?

Ross was never recognized for sewing the first flag in 1776. Her grandson, William Canby, told the Historical Society of Pennsylvania her story in 1870.

What does the banner symbolize?

The pledge of fealty to the American flag symbolizes independence and liberty. The flag’s 13 alternating red and white stripes commemorate the 13 founding colonies. Its 50 white stars on blue represent the 50 states.