The History of the United States Flag

The History of the Flag

"I pledge Allegiance to the flag,
of the United States of America,
and to the Republic,
for which it stands,
one nation under God,
indivisible,
with Liberty, and Justice for all"

The flag was first authorized by Congress June 14, 1777. This date is now observed as Flag Day throughout America. The United States Flag is the third oldest of the National Standards of the world, even older than Britain’s Union Jack or the Tricolor of France.

The flag was first flown from Fort Stanwix, on the site of the present city of Rome, New York, on August 3, 1777. It was first under fire for three days later in the Battle of Oriskany, August 6, 1777.

The flag's original design called for a star and a stripe for each state, thirteen of each, corresponding to the original thirteen colonies. In 1791, Vermont was admitted to the union, followed by Kentucky in 1792. The number of stars and stripes was accordingly raised to fifteen.

An act of Congress in 1818 reduced the number of stripes on the flag to thirteen. And a star would be added for each new state.

The colors of the Flag: the red is for valor, the white for hope purity of life, the blue is the color of heaven, for reverence to God.

The star symbolized dominion and sovereignty. The constellation of the stars within the union, one star for each state, is emblematic of the Federal Constitution, which reserves to the States their individual sovereignty except as to rights delegated by them to the Federal Government.