Also known as National Flag Day, June 14th is a day dedicated to honoring the national flag of the United States of America. This holiday commemorates the day when the design of the first national flag was approved back in 1777, so holds a lot of meaning.
The idea to declare that a day should be set aside to honor the flag of the United States came from various sources, so let’s explore the story of it all to understand how this holiday came about, as well as look at the history of the flag itself, which is very interesting itself!
The History of the Flag
In the American Revolution that took place in 1775, the colonists didn’t fight under one flag. Most regiments that fought in the war for independence did so under individual flags. For this reason, the Second Continental Congress set up a meeting in June 1775, with the purpose of creating a Continental Army that would be unified and more organized against the British. This led to the first version of the American flag, which featured the Continental Colors.
The design of the flag presented 13 alternating stripes that were red and white, with a Union Jack placed on the corner. However, this design was a bit too similar to the design of the British flag. George Washington realized it wasn’t a good idea to use the flag because it wasn’t great for building confidence. So, he got to work to create a new symbol that would be more representative of the nation.
Legend says that George Washington hired Betsy Ross, a seamstress based in Philadelphia, to create the new flag. However, scholars actually credit Francis Hopkinson with the flag’s design, the man who designed the first coin and the Great Seal. Still, it’s likely that Betsy Ross met George Washington and sewed the first American flags.
Flag Day
The Second Continental Congress then passed a resolution on June 14th, 1777, that stated that the flag of the U.S. would sport 13 alternating stripes in red and white, and the union flag would sport 13 white stars on a blue field to represent the new constellation.
That day, the design of the flag was approved by the Second Continental Congress. 100 years later, in 1916, President Woodrow Wilson would officially establish June 14th to be Flag Day. It’s worth noting that people observed Flag Day years before it was made official.
The congressional legislation that designated June 14th as Flag Day was then signed into law in 1949 by President Harry Truman and it called for the president to make a proclamation on this date every year.
To this day, 27 official versions of the American flag have been created. The positioning and order of the stars would change based on the preferences of the people who made the flags. That stopped in 1912 because President Taft standardized the 48 stars into 6 rows of 8 for the flag at the time. The version we know today dates back to July 4th, 1960, once Hawaii became a state, giving the flag 50 stars.
How to Observe Flag Day
Flag Day is a big celebration that involves parades, ceremonies, essay contests, and sponsored picnics by schools, veterans, and groups such as the National Flag Day Foundation. If you want to observe Flag Day, you can display the American flag in your home.
You can choose any size and hang it as a family! Make a day of it by bringing everyone together for a meal and discuss the history and meaning of the flag. Just make sure the flag is visible, so consider the front lawn, and if you’re displaying any other flags, place the American flag on top of the others, but avoid having more than one flag.
Discussing the meaning of the flag and the value it represents as a family is another great way to observe Flag Day. You can also go to a local veteran’s memorial to show respect, go to a Flag Day parade, attend a local flag-raising ceremony, visit a museum, or throw a block party to celebrate as a community. There are plenty of options to choose from!
Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels