The Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia on June 14, 1777, and passed the Flag Act of 1777, establishing a national flag for our young country. The original flag of our nation bore thirteen strips in red and white, along with thirteen white stars on a blue background. American legend tells us that Betsy Ross, a Pennsylvania seamstress, was the person who sewed the first flag.
Bernard Cigrand, a Wisconsin school teacher, held what is recognized to be the first celebration of Flag Day in 1885. However, it was not until 1949 that our Congress legislated June 14 as National Flag Day. Pennsylvania is the only state that recognizes Flag Day as an official holiday.
By Executive Order issued by President Taft in 1912, the official proportions of the flag were established, as was the arrangement of the stars. Further Executive Orders were issued by President Eisenhower in 1959 which further changed the arrangement of the stars on our flag.
Since 1977, the United States flag has been redesigned 27 times. The flag, as we know it today, became official on July 4, 1960, after Hawaii became the fiftieth state in 1959.
Categorized in: General
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