The United
States Flag is the
third oldest of the
National Standards of
the world; older than
the Union Jack of
Britain or the
Tricolor of
France.
The flag was
first authorized by
Congress June 14,
1777. This date is
now observed as Flag
Day throughout
America.
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.
It was first
decreed that there
should be a star and
a stripe for each
state, making
thirteen of both; for
the states at the
time had just been
erected from the
original thirteen
colonies.
The colors
of the Flag may be
thus explained: The
red is for valor,
zeal and fervency;
the white for hope
purity, cleanliness
of life, and
rectitude of conduct;
the blue, the color
of heaven, for
reverence to God,
loyalty, sincerity,
justice and
truth.
The star (an
ancient symbol of
India, Persia and
Egypt) symbolized
dominion and
sovereignty, as well
as lofty aspirations.
The constellation of
the stars within the
union, one star for
each state, is
emblematic of our
Federal Constitution,
which reserves to the
States their
individual
sovereignty except as
to rights delegated
by them to the
Federal
Government.
The
symbolism of the Flag
was thus interpreted
by Washington: "We
take the stars from
Heaven, the red from
our mother country,
separating it by
white stripes, thus
showing that we have
separated from her,
and the white stripes
shall go down to
posterity
representing
Liberty."
In 1791,
Vermont, and in 1792,
Kentucky were
admitted to the Union
and the number of
stars and stripes was
raised to fifteen in
correspondence. As
other states came
into the Union it
became evident there
would be too many
stripes. So in 1818
Congress enacted that
the number of stripes
be reduced and
restricted henceforth
to thirteen
representing the
thirteen original
states; while a star
should be added for
each succeeding
state. That law is
the law of
today.
The name
"Old Glory" was given
to our National Flag
August 10, 1831, by
Captain William
Driver of the brig
Charles
Doggett.
The Flag was
first carried in
battle at the
Brandywine, September
11, 1777. It first
flew over foreign
territory January 28,
1778, at Nassau,
Bahama Islands; Fort
Nassau having been
captured by the
American in the
course of the war for
independence. The
first foreign salute
to the flag was
rendered by the
French admiral
LaMotte Piquet, off
Quiberon Bay,
February 13,
1778.
The United
States Flag is unique
in the deep and noble
significance of its
message to the entire
world, a message of
national
independence, of
individual liberty,
of idealism, of
patriotism.
It
symbolizes national
independence and
popular sovereignty.
It is not the Flag of
a reigning family or
royal house, but of
300 million free
people welded into a
Nation, one and
inseparable, united
not only by community
of interest, but by
vital unity of
sentiment and
purpose; a Nation
distinguished for the
clear individual
conception of its
citizens alike of
their duties and
their privileges,
their obligations and
their
rights.
It
incarnates for all
mankind the spirit of
Liberty and the
glorious ideal of
human freedom; not
the freedom of
unrestraint or the
liberty of license,
but an unique ideal
of equal opportunity
for life, liberty and
the pursuit of
happiness,
safeguarded by the
stern and lofty
principles of duty,
of righteousness and
of justice, and
attainable by
obedience to
self-imposed
laws.
Floating
from lofty pinnacles
of American Idealism,
it is a beacon of
enduring hope, like
the famous Bartholdi
Statue of Liberty
enlightening the
World to the
oppressed of all
lands. It floats over
a wondrous assemblage
of people from every
racial stock of the
earth whose united
hearts constitute an
indivisible and
invincible force for
the defense and
succor of the
downtrodden.
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