During the American Revolution, multiple flags were flown. Here are some of the more well-known flags.
- The Grand Union Flag: Early compromise that displayed Britian's Union Jack in the canton section.
- Green Mountain Boys Flag: Flown by Ethan Allen's Vermont Militia
- Bedford Flag: Carried at Concord
- Taunton Liberty Flag: Red Field with "Liberty and Union" in white letters
- Rhode Island Regiment Flag: Much like today's State flag of Rhode Island
- Philadelphia Light Horse Flag: Carried by elite calvary that escorted George Washington
- Gadsden Flag: Yellow, "Don't tread on me" flag
These flags flew before Congress formally defined a national standard. On June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress resolved: That the flag of the United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.
That wording left room for ambiguity and variability. Consequently, there were at least three variations shortly after the adoption of the standard. (This reminds me of a saying a co-worker of mine often quipped: Our Standards is, "We have no standard.")
The commonly remembered flag is the Betsy Ross Flag. This flag contained thirteen stars arranged in a circle on a blue square accompanying thirteen alternating red and white stripes. This flag may or may not have actually been originally designed and produced by Betsy, but it is purported to have existed since June of 1776, a year before the adoption by Congress. Betsy would have been twenty-four and a recent widow. Her husband of three years, John Ross, was killed (probably in Philadelphia) while on guard duty in a gunpowder explosion.
It may be that Congress attempted to describe the Betsy Ross Flag - but the description was insufficient to preclude variations.
The Cowpens Flag appears in this fragment of the artwork shown on this blog by Robert Windsor Wilson. It is displayed at the Ninety-Six National Historic Site and titled Siege of Ninety-Six. The Cowpens Flag was similar to the Betsy Ross version except that it contained twelve stars in a circle with a single star in the center of the circle. It was used regularly by the 3rd Maryland Regiment. It is said to have been carried into the Battle of Cowpens, but the 3rd Maryland Regiment wasn't at that battle. The artist was probably influenced by this tradition, though. Ninety-Six is not far from Cowpens.
The Hopkinson Flag staggered the arrangement of the star in a 3-2-3-2-3 pattern. The design is attributed to Francis Hopkinson. If it sounds familiar - it is similar to what has been done since - arranging stars in patterns to approximate a square.
The imprecise standard specification permitted a wide variability of US Flags until President Howard Taft's executive order in 1912 specified that the pattern should be of horizontal rows and the stars were to point upward.
I'm glad we have a standard. I'm glad it was designed to tell a story. The flag's 13 red and white stripes represent the original colonies; its white stars on a blue background represent the number of states; and, its colors are meant to represent:
- Red: valor and bravery (or hardiness)
- White: purity and innocence
- Blue: vigilance, perseverance, and justice
Howard Schnauber described in his poem titled: "I Am Old Glory"
“I am your symbol of freedom,
I am your reminder of opportunity,
I am your guarantee of justice,
I am your flag.”
Remembering the 250th Anniversary of this nation - when we look at our flag, consider these words that it represents. Remember it is these things that made and make us great. Consider what it took to obtain it. Consider, what it takes to keep it.
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