Front:
ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT
OF OUR NATIONAL FLAG
Grand Union: Before the American Revolution and at the time of independ-
ence the British ensign was flown in the Colonies. Subsequently this was
modified-the red cross of St. George and the white cross of St. Andrew
were shifted to the canton, with the field consisting of 7 red and 6 white
stripes representing the Colonies.
Gadsden Flag: The Colonies resented the British ensign more and more. Most
of them flew their own banners, with crisp symbolic design. One of the most
popular was the so-called Gadsden flag, with a coiled rattlesnake on a yellow
field, over the words "Don't Tread on Me". Others included "Liberty or Death"
slogans.
DONT TREAD ON ME
Bunker Hill Flag: In New England, the pine tree was the popular flag emblem.
It appeared on the Colonial banner hoisted over the redoubts at Bunker Hill.
This showed a red background; another was the old British blue ensign with
the pine tree in the canton. The pine tree was also minted into shillings.
First "Stars and Stripes": After Congress passed the flag resolution June 14,
1777, the battle of Bennington (August 1777) is believed to mark the first
display of a flag with 13 stars and 13 stripes. It consisted of 11l stars in semi-
circle, and one in each corner of the canton. The figure 76 honors the year of
Independence.
76
The "Cowpens" Flag: The 3rd Maryland Regiment fought at Cowpens, South
Carolina (January 1781); it carried the first starred and striped flag that
fulfilled the 1777 flag resolution. It consisted of 12 white stars in a circle
and one in the center of the blue field, with 7 red and 6 white stripes.
Betsy Ross Flag: Betsy Ross, an expert needlewoman of Philadelphia was,
according to legend, asked in 1776 to design a national flag suggested by
General Washington. The actual facts are obscure; the legend only came to
light in 1870. Betsy is credited with making the stars 5-pointed. She arranged
them in a circle.
Flag of 1795: This flag had 15 stripes and 15 stars. It flew for 23 years;
under it 5 presidents served-Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison and
Monroe. Five new states were admitted during these five years but no change
was made in the flag. This was the first official flag to fly over the Capitol in
Washington.
Flags of the Confederacy-of its four flags, the baitle flag was the Civil War
flag and is best known, It consisted of a blue cross stretched diagonally across
a red field; on the cross were 13 white stars. Although the South had seceded,
Lincoln refused to alter the Stars and Stripes with its 34 stars.
1912-This was the twenty-fifth design of the flag with the addition of two
stars for the states of Arizona and New Mexico. The stars were arranged in
six rows of 8 stars each. This flag was unchanged for 47 years and eight
presidents served under it.
The Flag of today: With admission to the Union of Alaska and Hawaii, the
flag gained two more stars, making a field of 50 stars. They are arranged in
5 rows of 6 stars each and 4 rows of 5 stars each. This flag was officially
unfurſed July 4, 1960. It is your flag! Long may it wave!
Back:
#76-H
COMMEMORATING THE 200th ANNIVERSARY OF
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - 1776-1976
10x
AN AMERICAN BICENTENNIAL COMMEMORATIVE CARD - HEIRLOOM COLLECTOR SERIES
Created, Published and Produced by WYCO COLOUR PRODUCTIONS, LTD.
410 Wyndon Road, Ambler, Pa. 19002 Copyright 1975 - All rights reserved.
