The History of Our Flag

On June 14th 1777 Congress wrote, "resolved that a flag for the thirteen United States be thirteen stripes alternating red and white with a Union of thirteen white stars in a field of blue to represent a new constellation"

This is all our founding fathers said about what the flag should look like. Only one sentence! This is why there are so many shapes, sizes and star arrangements made. It was left up to the individual flag makers own interpetitation on what a flag should look like.

Contrary to popular belief, there is no real evidence that Betsy Ross made our first flag for George Washington. It is only claimed from one of her descendants that she made it. No one knows what our first flag actually looked like, as it has not survived. Is it was packed away in someone's trunk in their attic or barn and not know it. Most flag historians believe that Francis Hopkinson designed the first US Flag in 1777. He submitted a bill to the Continental Congress for his services to do the work, but he was never paid. He was a delegate to the Continental Congress from New Jersey and a signer of the Declaration of Independence

When the states of Vermont & Kentucky were added to the Union in 1794/5 to give us our 14th & 15th States, Congress authorized that two stars and two stripes be added to our National Banner. This 1795 flag had 15 Stars and 15 Stripes. In 1818 five more States were added to the Union to bring the count up to 20 States. It became clear to Congress that to continue to add a star & a stripe for each State that was added to the Union would not be practical. They discussed narrowing the stripes but decided it was a bad idea because the flag would be not identifiable from a distance. So in 1818 Congress in its wisdom reasoned that the flag would have 13 stripes to remember the original 13 States/Colonies and we would add one star for each state added to the Union. They also ordered that only on July 4th would a State's admission to the Union be official.

Another 150 years would go by before Congress passed another resolution about our flags proportions or any other standards for it. Due to this lack of direction, flag makers continued to design on their own about the size, proportions and star arrangement of our flag.

The period prior to the 48 star flag is where the flag collector finds his unique prized flag. Because in 1912 President Taft laid down rules to govern the making of flags with 48 stars or more from that point on. The collector hopes to discover a star pattern design he has never seen before. For example, some people collect just 45 or 38 star flags to see just how many varied star patterns he can find. Others collect printed flags or sewn flags.

Pre 1900 flags were not abundant. The military & government used larges flags to fly over government building and the military used large flags to fly over ships, camps & forts. The general population did not have access to mass supply of flags until after 1900. If a family owned a flag most of the time it was hand made at home.

The first time parade flags really appeared was during the 1876 Centennial celebration in Philadelphia.

Types of Flags

Sewn Flags and Printed Flags

The sewing machine was invented in 1840, it grew in use till in the 1870's when they were used everywhere for everything. So you will only find hand sewn flags up till the late 1840's. These flags are very rare and very expensive.

Printed flags are made basically two ways, stenciling and printed, as with any other type of material/fabric of the day. Stenciling goes way back in history, so it's possible to find really old stencil printed flags.

Flying Flags and Parade Flags

Flags that were flown & used outdoors are usually made of wool and most were very large, some were huge. Usually they are all hand sewn & then later machine sewn. These were mostly used by the military & the government.

Parade flags were mostly made of cotton. They did use a starched gauze or light weight muslin and also you may fine some made of silk, which was very expense back then. These were printed or stenciled and are usually 2'x3' but mostly in the 12"x 17" or smaller size.

Stars

This is really what determines the worth of a flag for a collector. The fewer the more expensive. The fewer the more rare it is. The more bazaar the stars are arranged the rarer & more expensive it is. Are the stars sewn on, printed, or embroidered.

Overprinted Flags

This is a flag that has printing on it such as advertising or to promote a political candidate. During 1860 & 1864 for the two presidential elections with Lincoln, political candidate flags were all the rage. Today these flags are worth a small fortune if you can find one. In 1912 President Taft Issued an executive order that from now on all flags had to be a certain proportion, the stars had to face straight up and be in even rows. He also outlawed any writing on a flag.

Price

Today the price of a flag is determined by many factors. The Size, material used, how it's made, the number of stars, any special importance attached to it, condition, the arrangement of the stars, and your personal attraction to it.

Summary

The look of our flag has evolved for over 200 years, and each one of these beautiful old pieces of cloth is as individual as each American.

For the shed blood of brave soldiers to fight for it to keep us free for 229 years.

To imagine to take ordinary individual pieces of red, white & blue cloth, sew them together to form our flag and it becomes the great, majestic banner of the United States of America, that men & women have died for, that downtrodden people from all over the world, for over two hundred years have long for, to be free. It represents freedom to all those who are oppressed.

Written by: Steve Winters
Copyright © 2004-2005, Historical Americana Co.

Reference books

The Stars and Stripes
By Boleslaw and Marie-Louise D'Otrange Mastai
Published by Knopf
IBSN: 0-394-47217-9
(Out of print)

Stars and Stripes
By Deborah Harding
Published by Rizzoli International
IBSN: 8-8478-2485-3