10 Facts About The American Flag That You (Probably) Didn’t Know

The stars and stripes have always stood for freedom, from the iconic Betsy Ross flag to our modern American flag. We respect the star-spangled banner for our troops, our strong history, and our liberty.

Since 1775, the American flag has flown proudly and changed many times. Over time, we’ve adapted our flag code and watched our banner wave proudly. The U.S. flag is more than a piece of fabric that we pledge to daily. It symbolizes our life and what being American means for the people.

From George Washington to our future presidents, we will continue to show our respect to this great country. The national flag continues to fly whether we know its full story or not.

Fun Facts About The Red, White, and Blue

Looking to expand your knowledge? Whether you’re brushing up on trivia or trying to learn more about our rich history, this article is just what you’re looking for.

Continue reading to see if you know all of these fun facts or see if you learn something new about the flag of the United States.

#1: The Meaning Of The Colors

While many flags worldwide use the red, white, and blue color scheme, our founding fathers didn’t copy it blindly. The colors of the flag were chosen for their significance.

While the exact interpretation has changed slightly over the years, it still stands that the white is for innocence and purity, the red is for hardiness, and the blue is for vigilance and justice.

It wasn’t until 1934 that the exact shades of each color were standardized.

#2: The First American Flag Didn’t Include Stars

While it wasn’t an official flag of America, it was the first flag raised under George Washington’s command in 1776.

The flag featured thirteen red and white stripes, but in place of the blue rectangle for stars, the British Union Flag was featured. At the time, this was the first version of the union jack. It was known as the Grand Union Flag, but it was never documented as an official flag after the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

#3: The First Stars Are Thanks To Betsy

Or are they? It’s a common belief that Betsy Ross, a woman from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, created the first official flag. She was said to be the first person to create a version of the flag with white stars on the blue square.

Betsy Ross was known for her flag-making skills during the American Revolution and continued making flags for 50 years. The flag was adopted in 1777 and has been featured in many paintings and artworks that would later be featured on stamps.

While the first flag is commonly known as the Betsy Ross flag, no documentation exists. She was one of many flag makers in Philadelphia working on American Flags.

 

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#4: There Were 27 Versions Of The U.S. Flag

On July 4th of every year, the flag was changed to account for any states that have been added to the country. It included an additional star for each new state to join the union.

Because of this rule, the current flag has been used for over fifty years! It’s the only official U.S. flag to be used for a long time. Its official reign will end if a new state joins the USA.

#5: The Star Spangled Banner Had 15 Stripes

Before it was written into law that every U.S. flag would have 13 stripes and one star for each state, updated flags would include additional stripes for new states.

The Garrison Flag was the only official national flag with more than 13 stripes. It was also known as The Star Spangled Banner, created in Baltimore, Maryland by Mary Young Pickersgill in 1813.

The flag would later inspire the poem “Defence of Fort McHenry” by Francis Scott Key. It was written on the morning of September 14th, 1814. Today, it’s commonly known as the American national anthem, “The Star Spangled Banner.”

#6: The Flag Has Its Very Own Day

In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson established Flag Day. It isn’t a federal holiday, but any city will observe Flag Day and hold celebrations.

Did you know in 1937, Pennsylvania became the first state to celebrate Flag Day officially? Pennsylvania was the first state to establish it as a state holiday, and New York soon followed.

While President Wilson was the first to establish Flag Day, George Morris has been suggesting the holiday since 1861.

A school teacher in Wisconsin, Bernard J. Cigrand, was the first American to organize a formal observance of Flag Day in 1885, as Morris’ call to action never became a tradition.

#7: A High School Student Created the 50-Star Flag

Robert Heft redesigned the 48-star flag his family owned and used his mother’s sewing machine to dismantle and recreate the 50-star flag with perfect proportions.

This was for a class project after it was announced Alaska would become the 49th state of the union.

Heft was confident Hawaii would join the United States next and even designed a 51-star flag if another state would ever join the union.

On the fourth of July, 1960, Heft stood with President Eisenhower to watch the 50-star flag be raised for the first time.

#8: Flags Cannot Be Thrown Away

Disposing of damaged flags isn’t as easy as you think. Many flags need to be burned or buried in a particular manner. There are also local companies that handle retiring flags, which is a great option for loyal Americans that aren’t sure of the respectful process.

A flag does not have to be retired when it touches the ground. While the American flag should never touch the ground, unfortunately, we understand that accidents happen.

Rather than burning or retiring the flag, proper cleaning can get it sparkling like new! Follow proper care instructions to respectfully care for the flag before displaying it once more.

#9: It Must Be Kept Out Of The Dark

Flags are typically flown from sunrise to sunset. This has changed over the years with the invention and convenience of electricity.

The flag may fly for 24 hours so long as there are lights to illuminate it. Otherwise, it should be taken down.

The same goes for hazardous weather. It is customary to remove the flag from the pole and store it safely until the weather is suitable.

#10: Old Glory Was A Gift

While Old Glory is currently a nickname for all American flags, the original Old Glory was owned by William Driver. He was a sea captain from Massachusetts that proudly flew and protected his American flag throughout the Civil War once he moved to Tennessee.

Old Glory was sewn for Driver by his mother and given to him as a gift in 1824 when he was officially appointed Captain. In memoirs written in 1862, Driver proudly calls the flag Old Glory.

Today, the original flag is held at the Smithsonian.