History of Flag Day
In the United States, Flag Day (more formally, National Flag Day) is celebrated on June 14. It commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States, which happened that day by resolution of the Second Continental Congress in 1777.
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.
Flag Day is not an official federal holiday, though on June 14, 1937 Pennsylvania became the first (and only) U.S. state to celebrate Flag Day as a state holiday.
Title 36 Sec. 110 of the US Code is the official statute on Flag Day, however it is at the President's discretion to proclaim officially the observance.
The largest Flag Day parade is held annually in Troy, New York.
Flag Etiquette
STANDARDS of RESPECT
The Flag Code, which formalizes and unifies the traditional ways in which we give respect to the flag, also contains specific instructions on how the flag is not to be used. They are:
- The flag should never be dipped to any person or thing. It is flown upside down only as a distress signal.
- The flag should not be used as a drapery, or for covering a speakers desk, draping a platform, or for any decoration in general. Bunting of blue, white and red stripes is available for these purposes. The blue stripe of the bunting should be on the top.
- The flag should never be used for any advertising purpose. It should not be embroidered, printed or otherwise impressed on such articles as cushions, handkerchiefs, napkins, boxes, or anything intended to be discarded after temporary use. Advertising signs should not be attached to the staff or halyard
- The flag should not be used as part of a costume or athletic uniform, except that a flag patch may be used on the uniform of military personnel, fireman, policeman and members of patriotic organizations.
- The flag should never have placed on it, or attached to it, any mark, insignia, letter, word, number, figure, or drawing of any kind.
- The flag should never be used as a receptacle for receiving, holding, carrying, or delivering anything.
When the flag is lowered, no part of it should touch the ground or any other object; it should be received by waiting hands and arms. To store the flag it should be folded neatly and ceremoniously.
The flag should be cleaned and mended when necessary.
When a flag is so worn it is no longer fit to serve as a symbol of our country, it should be destroyed by burning in a dignified manner.
According to what her family members said (after her death) that she had told them, in June 1776, she received a visit from George Washington, George Ross and Robert Morris of the Continental Congress. She had met Washington through their mutual worship at Christ Church (and she had sewn buttons for him previously), and George Ross was John's uncle. Although there is no record of any such committee, the three men supposedly announced they were a "Committee of Three" (perhaps self-appointed, under the circumstances) and showed her a suggested design that was drawn up by Washington in pencil. The design had six-pointed stars, and Betsy, the family story goes, suggested five-pointed stars instead because she could make a five-pointed star in one snip. The flag was sewn from American grown hemp by Betsy in her parlor. The flag was flown when the Declaration of Independence was read aloud at Independence Hall on July 8, 1776.
The First Official United States Flag: This 13-Star Flag became the Official United States Flag on June14th, 1777 and is the result of the congressional action that took place on that date. Much evidence exists pointing to Congressman Francis Hopkinson as the person responsible for its design. The only President to serve under this flag was George Washington (1789-1797). This Flag was to last for a period of 18 years.
Each star and stripe represented a Colony of which there were thirteen, united nearly one year earlier by the Declaration of Independence. The thirteen Colonies are listed below with the date that each ratified the Constitution and became a State.
- (1st) Delaware December 7th, 1787
- (2nd) Pennsylvania December 12th,1787
- (3rd) New Jersey December18th, 1787
- (4th) Georgia January 2nd, 1788
- (5th) Connecticut January 9th, 1788
- (6th) Massachusetts February 6th, 1788
- (7th) Maryland April 28th, 1788
- (8th) South Carolina May 23rd, 1788
- (9th) New Hampshire June 21st, 1788
- (10th) Virginia June 25th, 1788
- (11th) New York July 25th, 1788
- (12th) North Carolina November 21st, 1789
- (13th) Rhode Island May 29th, 1790
The Star Spangled Banner, the 15 Star Flag
The Star Spangled Banner: This Flag became the Official United States Flag on May 1st,1795. Two stars were added for the admission of Vermont (the 14th State on March 4th, 1791) and Kentucky (the 15th State on June 1st, 1792, and was to last for 23 years. The five Presidents who served under this flag were; George Washington (1789-1797), John Adams (1797-1801), Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809), James Madison (1809-1817), and James Monroe (1817-1825).
The 15-star, 15-stripe flag was authorized by the Flag Act of January 13, 1794, adding 2 stripes and 2 Stars. The regulation went into effect on May 1, 1795. This flag was the only U.S. Flag to have more than 13 stripes. It was immortalized by Francis Scott Key during the bombardment of Fort McHenry, Sept 13, 1814. The image above is representative of the actual flag that flew over Fort McHenry on that day and which is now preserved in the Smithsonian Museum. You can notice the "tilt" in some of the stars just as in the original Star Spangled Banner.
Where the original Star Spangled Banner went...
1814
The battle occurred, and the flag won its glory. Armistead was promoted to Lt. Colonel by Madison. Armistead died in service on April 25, 1818. He acquired the flag sometime before that date, but at this point it is unknown how.
1818
Armistead died and "legend" says that the flag was used in his funeral. However, in all of the newspaper accounts of Armistead's funeral, there is no mention of the flag being displayed at it. At his death the flag passed to his widow, Louisa Armistead.
1824
The flag was used in a reception for General Lafayette.
1861
Louisa Armistead died on October 3, 1861, and in her will left the flag to her daughter, Georgiana Armistead Appleton. The flag was sent to England for safe keeping during the Civil War, according to one of the Armistead family members, who made this statement in a newspaper interview in the 1880's. But Georgiana said, in a letter to Admiral George Preble, that the flag was in her possession during the rebellion.
June 24, 1873
The flag was displayed in the Charleston Naval Yards. Canvas backing was sewn on the flag and one of the first photographs was taken of it.
1876
The flag was loaned to the Navy Department for the Centennial Celebration.
1879
Georgiana Armistead Appleton died in 1879 and left the flag to her son Eben Appleton.
1907
Eben Appleton loaned the flag to the Smithsonian.
1912
Eben Appleton converts the loan of the flag to a gift to the Smithsonian.
1914
Amelia Fowler was commissioned to remove the canvas backing sewn on the flag when it was photographed in 1873 and replace it with the present linen backing.
The 50 Star Flag
50-Star Flag: Executive Order of President Eisenhower dated August 21, 1959 - provided for the arrangement of the stars in nine rows of stars staggered horizon tally and eleven rows of stars staggered vertically. This is the current flag of the United States. Hawaii was admitted as the 50th state on August 21st, 1959. The 27th flag of the United States became the official flag on July 4th, 1960. Nine presidents have served under this flag; Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1961), John F. Kennedy (1961-1963), Lyndon B. Johnson (1963-1969), Richard M. Nixon (1969-1974), Gerald R. Ford (1974-1977), Jimmy Carter (1977-1981), Ronald W. Reagan (1981-1989), George Bush (1989-1993), William J. Clinton (1993-2001) and George W. Bush (2001-present)*.
| 1. Delaware - 1787 | 26. Michigan - 1837 |
| 2. Pennsylvania - 1787 | 27. Florida - 1845 |
| 3. New Jersey - 1787 | 28. Texas - 1845 |
| 4. Georgia - 1788 | 29. Iowa - 1846 |
| 5. Connecticut - 1788 | 30. Wisconsin - 1848 |
| 6. Massachusetts - 1788 | 31. California - 1850 |
| 7. Maryland - 1788 | 32. Minnesota - 1858 |
| 8. South Carolina - 1788 | 33. Oregon - 1859 |
| 9. New Hampshire - 1788 | 34. Kansas - 1861 |
| 10. Virginia - 1788 | 35. West Virginia - 1863 |
| 11. New York - 1788 | 36. Nevada - 1864 |
| 12. North Carolina - 1789 | 37. Nebraska - 1867 |
| 13. Rhode Island - 1790 | 38. Colorado - 1876 |
| 14. Vermont - 1791 | 39. North Dakota - 1889 |
| 15. Kentucky - 1792 | 40. South Dakota - 1889 |
| 16. Tennessee - 1796 | 41. Montana - 1889 |
| 17. Ohio - 1803 | 42. Washington - 1889 |
| 18. Louisiana - 1812 | 43. Idaho - 1890 |
| 19. Indiana - 1816 | 44. Wyoming - 1890 |
| 20. Mississippi - 1817 | 45. Utah - 1896 |
| 21. Illinois - 1818 | 46. Oklahoma - 1907 |
| 22. Alabama - 1819 | 47. New Mexico - 1912 |
| 23. Maine - 1820 | 48. Arizona - 1912 |
| 24. Missouri - 1821 | 49. Alaska - 1959 |
| 25. Arkansas - 1836 | 50. Hawaii - 1959 |
No comments:
Post a Comment