Flag Day
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Flag Day is celebrated on June 14 commemorating the adoption of the flag of the United States, which happened that day by resolution of the Second Continental Congress in 1777 making this the 231st anniversary.In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation that officially established June 14 as Flag Day; in August 1949, National Flag Day was established by an Act of Congress.George Morris of Hartford, Conn., is popularly given the credit of suggesting “Flag Day,” the occasion being in honor of the adoption of the American flag on June 14, 1777. The city of Hartford observed the day in 1861, carrying out a program of a patriotic order, praying for the success of the Federal arms and the preservation of the Union.
Flag Day is not an official federal holiday but a commemoration of the formal act of adopting the colors and design of the America flag.
The first American flag design that was displayed was a combination of the British flag and 13 stripes one for each of for the original colonies. It was displayed by General George Washington and American troops through out the Revolutionary War. Tradition says it was first raised aboard Continental Navy Commodore Esek Hopkins‘ flagship Alfred on the Delaware River on December 3, 1775, possibly (according to his claim) by the ship’s senior lieutenant John Paul Jones. That flag closely resembled the flag of the East Indian Company so a new design was sought.
A popular story credits Betsy Ross for sewing the first flag from a pencil sketch by George Washington who personally commissioned her for the job. However, no evidence for this theory exists beyond Ross’ descendants’ much later recollections of what she told her family. Another woman, Rebecca Young, has also been credited as having made the first flag by later generations of her family. Rebecca Young’s daughter was Mary Pickersgill, who made the Star Spangled Banner Flag.
In 1795 two stars and two stripes were added to the flag. It was this 25 stripe flag that inspired Francis Scott Key to write the Star Spangled banner that became the national anthem. In 1818 it was decided on a 13 stripe flag with one star representing each state.
Many years ago I met a descendent of Mary Pickersgill, while working at ANDOVER-NEWTON who told me the story. I actually went to Betsy Ross’s home in Boston and ask about it- kind of “cool” reception. Later I was having lunch with a brilliant American history teacher at Bowdoin College (can’t recall his name) who told me Betsy Ross likely did NOT make the first flag but did get paid to make flags adn as such was American first flag maker but likely not the first to make the flag. He had a 15-star flag in his office and told me how the original flag from Fort McHenry. I saw that flag at Smithsonian, amd it had 15 stripes - I counted them.