What is the meaning of the black and white American flag?
The national flag of the United States is often referred to as the American flag.It consists of thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red and white alternating with each other, with a blue canton bearing fifty small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows.The 50 stars on the flag represent the 50 states of the United States of America, and the 13 stripes represent thirteen British colonies that declared independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain.
The design of the U.S. flag has been changed 26 times since 1777.The 49-star flag became official on July 4, 1959 after being in effect for 47 years.The 50-star flag was adopted in July 1960.It has been in use for over 60 years.[6]
The Continental Congress wouldn't legally adopt flags with "stars, white in a blue field" for another year at the time of the Declaration of Independence.The Continental Colors flag has been referred to as the first national flag.[7]
The Continental Navy raised the colors as the ensign of the nation in the American War for Independence, and used it until 1777, when it formed the basis for the subsequent designs.It was 7 and 8.
George Preble applied the name "Grand Union" to the Continental Colors in 1872.There is a flag.[8]
The flag is similar to the British East India Company flag of the era, and Sir Charles Fawcett argued in 1937 that the flag was inspired by the company flag.Adding white stripes to a British Red Ensign, one of the three maritime flags used throughout the British Empire at the time, could have been used to build both flags.The flag of the East India Company was not allowed to be flown outside the Indian Ocean.Benjamin Franklin once endorsed the adoption of the Company's flag by the United States as their national flag.He told George Washington that the field of his flag doesn't need to be completely new.The flag of the East India Company is already in use.This was a way of showing American loyalty to the Crown as well as the United States' desire to be self-governing, as was the East India Company.The Company could be a powerful ally in the American War of Independence, as they shared similar aims and grievances against the British government tax policies.Colonists flew the Company's flag to support it.[13]
The theory that the Grand Union Flag was a descendant of the East India Company's flag has been criticized as lacking written evidence.The resemblance between the East India Company's activities and those of the United States' founding fathers is obvious.The stripes and stars have precedents in classical heraldry.In the coat of arms of Valais of 1618, there were seven mullets representing seven districts.
The coat of arms of George Washington's family, which includes three red stars over two horizontal red bars on a white field, is thought to have inspired the design.There is no evidence to support the connection between the flag design and the visual elements.The Digital Encyclopedia of George Washington was published by the Fred W. Smith National Library.The story is said to have started with the 1876 play Washington: A Drama in Five Acts, by the English poet Martin Farquhar Tupper, and was further popularized through repetition in the children's magazine St.Nicholas.[15][16]
On June 14, 1777, the Second Continental Congress passed a resolution stating that the flag of the thirteen United States should be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white, with a blue field.June 14 is the day when flag day is observed.According to tradition, the new flag was hoisted by the Continental Army in June 1777.[19]
The first official U.S. flag was flown on August 3, 1777, at Fort Schuyler.The adoption of the official flag by Congress was brought to the attention of Massachusetts reinforcements.Soldiers cut up their shirts to make the white stripes, scarlet material to form the red was secured from officers' wives, and material for the blue union was obtained from Capt.A man is wearing a blue cloth coat.There is a voucher for Capt.The coat he wore for the flag was paid for by Congress.[20]
The resolution was supposed to define a naval ensign.The idea of a national flag was only begun in the late 18th century.There are other resolutions from the Marine Committee.On May 10, 1779, Secretary of the Board of War Richard Peters expressed concern that "it is not yet settled what is the standard for the United States."The Army of the United States has a national standard.The national standard was added to the regimental standard.The national standard was not a reference to the naval flag.[22]
The flag resolution didn't specify any particular arrangement, number of points, orientation for the stars, or whether the flag had to have seven red stripes and six white ones.The maker of the flag made the appearance.Some flag makers arranged the stars into one big star, in a circle or in rows, while others replaced a state's star with its initial.13 five-pointed stars are arranged in a circle with the Betsy Ross flag in the middle.The earliest example of this flag was found in a painting by John Trumbull.[25]
The early years of American independence featured many different flags.Most were not mass-produced.Some of the flags included blue stripes as well as red and white.The American flag was described in a letter by Benjamin Franklin and John Adams to Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies.The well-documented 1779 flags of the Serapis and the Alliance were used by John Paul Jones on his U.S. Navy ships.The flag had three rows of stars with stripes that were red, white, and blue.There were five rows of stars with red and white stripes on the flag for the Alliance.Two of the earliest flags of 13 stars were documented by the Dutch government in October 1779.[29]
Between his appointment as Chairman of the Continental Navy Board's Middle Department in November 1776 and the time that the Declaration of Independence was signed, Francis Hopkinson designed the 1777 flag.The Navy Board was part of the Continental Marine Committee.He claimed that he designed a flag for the U.S. Navy.When he sent a letter and several bills to Congress for his work, he was the only person to have made such a claim.These claims are documented in the Journals of the Continental Congress.On May 25, 1780, Hopkinson wrote a letter to Congress.He asked for a "Quarter Cask of the Public Wine" as payment for designing the U.S. flag and other things.In three bills to Congress, he asked to be paid in cash, but he did not list his U.S. flag design.He wanted to be paid for designing the "great Naval Flag of the United States" in the first, second, and third bills.The naval ensign that was designed was a flag of seven red stripes and six white ones.The naval flag was more visible against the sky due to the predominance of red stripes.The flag for the United States had seven white stripes and six red ones, but it had a white background.The Great Seal of the United States that he proposed at the same time as the Admiralty Seal have different stripe arrangements.His second U.S. Seal proposal had seven white stripes.The Great Seal of the United States and the President's seal contain remnants of a flag of seven white stripes.When he was chairman of the Navy Board, his position was similar to that of today's Secretary of Navy.He already received a salary as a member of Congress, so the payment was not made, most likely because other people had contributed to designing the Great Seal of the United States.The Betsy Ross flag is said to have been sewed by the government in the Spring of 1776.There are 42 and 43 words.
On 10 May 1779, the War Board sent a letter to George Washington stating that there was still no design for a national standard on which to base standards, but also mentioned flag requirements given to the board by General von Steuben.On 3 September, Richard Peters submitted to Washington "Drafts of a Standard" and asked for his ideas of the plan, adding that the War Board preferred a design they viewed as a variant for the Marine flag.Washington preferred the standard with the Union and Emblems in the center.The drafts are likely to be similar to the first Jack of the United States.[42]
The descendants of Betsy Ross spread a story about the origin of the stars and stripes.Betsy Ross is said to have sewn one of the first flags from a pencil sketch handed to her by George Washington.There is no evidence for this in the diaries of George Washington.Ross's grandson, William Canby, first suggested the story in 1870.By her family's own admission, Ross ran an upholstery business and never made a flag as of the supposed visit in June 1776.Her grandson admitted that his own search through the Journals of Congress and other official records failed to find corroborating evidence for his grandmother's story.[47]
According to the family of Rebecca Young, she sewed the first flag.Mary Pickersgill made the Star Spangled Banner flag.Grace Wisher is an African American girl who is 13 years old.[51]
The number of stars and stripes was increased in 1795 to reflect the entry of Vermont and Kentucky as states of the Union.It was thought that changing the flag would cause too much confusion.It was the 15-star, 15-stripe flag that inspired Francis Scott Key to write "The Star Spangled Banner".There is a two-story display chamber at the National Museum of American History that protects the flag while it is on view.[52]
The plan was passed by Congress at the suggestion of the U.S.The flag was changed to have 20 stars, with a new star added when each new state was admitted, but the number of stripes would be reduced to honor the original colonies.New flag designs should become official on the first July 4 after one or more new states are admitted, according to the act.The most recent change occurred in 1960 when the present design was chosen after Hawaii gained statehood.Alaska's admission in January 1959 caused the debut of a 49-star flag.[54]
There was no official arrangement of the stars in the canton prior to 1912.There were many different star patterns throughout the 19th century.
The version of the flag that was used for the longest time was the 50-star flag.
A merchant ship from China brought the U.S. flag to the city of Canton in 1784.The designation "Flower Flag" was gained there.George H. Preble, author and U.S. naval officer, retells the account that was first published in the Boston Courier.
People were excited when the thirteen stripes and stars first appeared.There was a news story about a ship carrying a flag that was "as beautiful as a flower".The kwa kee chuen is also known as the "flower flagship".America is now called the "flower flag country" and the name was established in the language.There are 57 and 58 words.
The Chinese words are written in Cantonese.The names were used a lot in the 19th and early 20th century.The term for the United States has been borrowed by Vietnam.
The United States is now referred to as Migu in Chinese.The name Mi is not related to the flag.The "flower flag" terminology is still used in some places today, for example, American ginseng is called flower flag ginseng in Chinese, and Citibank opened a branch in China in the 19th century.[59]
The U.S. flag was part of the top left-hand shield that was used in the creation of this enclave.It is included in the badges of the Kulangsu Municipal Police.60
The first time the U.S. flag traveled around the world was on the Columbia.William Driver took the U.S. flag around the world in the 19th century.An oversized version of the flag was carried to Yokohama by the Great Republic as part of a round-the-world journey in 1871.61
The star patterns for the flags are usually associated with the United States Navy and are depicted in the following table.The Canton designs had no official arrangement of the stars.The colors of the flag were not standardized until 1934.[62]
A 51st state would require a new design of the flag to accommodate an additional star.[64]
Potential statehood candidates include U.S. territories, the national capital, or a state created from the partition of an existing state.In the past, residents of the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have voted for statehood in referendums.Both proposals have been approved by Congress.
The mayor of the District of Columbia put up flags on Pennsylvania Avenue in anticipation of a congressional hearing on statehood.On June 26, 2020, the House voted to establish D.C. as the 51st state, but the bill is not expected to pass in the Senate, and the administration of President Donald Trump indicated he would veto it.[68]
The United States flag never becomes obsolete according to the U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry.The American flag may be used and displayed until it is no longer usable.70
The flag of the United States is a popular symbol.There are flags displayed on private residences in the United States.The flag is found on decals for car windows, and on clothing ornamentation such as badges and pins.In public discourse, the flag has been used to refer to the United States.71
The flag has become a powerful symbol of Americanism, and is flown on many occasions, with giant outdoor flags used by retail outlets to draw customers.In 1919 William Norman Guthrie's book The Religion of Old Glory discussed the cult of the flag and proposed vexillolatry.73
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution protects the practice of defacing the flag.The flag is revered because it represents the land of the free, and that freedom includes the ability to use or abuse that flag in protest.Testi noted in 2010 that the United States was not unique in loving its banner, for the flags of other countries are also "beloved, domesticated, commercialized and sacralized objects".75
Until the opening of the American Civil War in April 1861, the US flag was mostly a "military ensign or a convenient marking of American territory" that rarely appeared outside of forts, embassies, and the like.The national flag was co-opted by citizens in the North to symbolize U.S. nationalism and rejection of secessionism.Historian Adam Goodheart wrote.
For the first time in American history, flags were mass-produced rather than individually sewn.The old flag meant something new as it turned into spring.The Union cause was transfigured into strips of cloth that millions of people would fight for, and many thousands would die for.[78]
The colors red, white and blue were not intended to be applied to the flag.The Secretary of the Continental Congress gave symbolic meanings for the colors in the seal, which were white, red, and blue.The flag was associated with that explanation over time.
It has been said that red is for the blood of patriots, spilled in the fight to protect the country.Ronald Reagan said in 1986 that the colors of the flag signify the human spirit.Red for courage and readiness to sacrifice; white for pure intentions and high ideals; and blue for vigilance and justice.[78]
The current flag's basic design is specified by 4 U.S.C.1; 4 U.S.C.New stars are added to represent new states with no distinction made for the shape, size or arrangement of the stars.The following values are followed by specifications for federal government use.
An executive order governs only flags made for or by the U.S. federal government.Most U.S. national flags available for sale to the public have a different width-to-height ratio.These sizes are provided for flags flown over the U.S. Capitol for sale to the public.The prescribed 1.9 ratio is referred to as "G-spec" for "government specification" flags.
The flag colors are specified in the 10th edition of the CAUS Standard Color Reference of America.The colors are white, red, and blue.JOSA specified the CIE coordinates for the 9th edition of the Standard Color Card.The standard for cloth is formed by these colors, but there is no way to convert them to CMYK for printing.Scales were used to find the "relative" coordinates in the table.
The official colors are only required for flags produced for the U.S. federal government.The practice of using more saturated colors is not new.The blue field is a very dark blue, but printed reproductions of the flag, as well as merchandise supposed to match it, present the color as a deep blue much brighter than.[85]
Sometimes the PMS approximations to the flag colors are used.One set was given on the website of the U.S. embassy in London as early as 1998.A document from the California Military Department suggested a third red.The colors of the Texas flag should be the same as those used in the United States flag, according to the legislature.The 2012 Identity and Marking Standards published by the Department of State have a blue and red color scheme.[88]
More than 1,500 designs were submitted to President Eisenhower when Alaska and Hawaii were being considered for statehood.The majority of them were 50-star proposals.There are at least three designs that are similar to the 50-star flag.The United States Army Institute of Heraldry got credit for the design at the time.
Robert G. Heft's proposal as a school project received the most publicity.His mother refused to do any work for him.He received a B for the project.If the flag were accepted by Congress, the grade would be reconsidered.Heft's flag design was adopted by the president after Alaska and before Hawaii was admitted into the Union.According to Heft, his teacher changed his grade to an A for the project.The 49- and 50-star flags were flown for the first time on Independence Day in 1959 and 1960.92
The flag can be decorated with golden fringe if it doesn't deface the flag.fringe is often used to enhance the appearance of the flag in ceremonial displays.The Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard all use a fringeless flag for all occasions.
The Army used fringe on a flag for the first time in 1895.No specific law governs the legality of fringe, but a 1925 opinion of the attorney general addresses the issue.There are claims that a flag with a fringe is a military ensign.There are no implications of symbolism in the use of fringe according to the Army Institute of Heraldry, which has official custody of the flag designs.93
People associated with the tax protester conspiracy argue that the presence of a flag in a courtroom changes the nature or jurisdiction of the court.Federal and state courts have rejected this contention.95, 96, and 97 were the years.
Most public buildings fly the flag year-round, and it's not unusual for private houses to fly full-size flags.On civic holidays like Memorial Day and Veterans Day, private use becomes widespread.Small flags are placed next to the graves of U.S. war veterans on Memorial Day.It is common to fly the flag at half staff until noon on Memorial Day in remembrance of those who lost their lives fighting in U.S. wars.
The NASA Vehicle Assembly Building was constructed in 1977.The largest U.S. flag ever used on a building is on the VAB.
The use, display, and disposal of the flag are outlined in the United States flag code.Unless it is the ensign responding to a salute from a ship of a foreign nation, the flag should never be dipped to anyone.The American flag bearer did not dip their flag to King Edward VII at the Summer Olympics in London in 1908.The captain of the team is quoted as saying "this flag dips to no earthly king", though the true provenance of this quotation is unclear.In 98 and 99.
If the flag is flown at night, it should be illuminated.The flag should be repaired or replaced if it becomes tattered.When a flag is so tattered that it can no longer be considered a symbol of the United States, it should be burned.On June 14th, the American Legion and other organizations conduct flag retirement ceremonies.The Boy Scouts of America recommends that modern nylon or polyester flags be recycled instead of burned, due to hazardous gases being produced when such materials are burned.100
The flag can't be used for any advertising purpose, as well as embroidered, printed, or otherwise impressed on cushions, handkerchiefs, napkins, boxes, and anything intended to be discarded after temporary use.Most of the time, both of these codes are ignored.
Section 8 states that the flag should never be used as a costume or athletic uniform, and that no part of it should ever be.The flag is defined by section 3 of the flag code as anything "by which the average person may believe the same to represent the United States of America".There is an additional provision that is frequently violated at sporting events.[101]
Although the Flag Code is a federal law, it is not widely enforced and there is no penalty for failing to comply.The legal precedent that has been established would be overruled by the proposed amendment.
There is a flag on the right side of a vehicle.Cars, boats, planes, any physical object that moves should be oriented so that the canton is towards the front of the vehicle, as if the flag were moving backwards from its hoist.The U.S. flag decals on the right side of vehicles may appear to be reversed, with the union to the observer's right instead of left.
The flag is displayed on all of the U.S. spaceships that were designed for manned flight after John Glenn's Friendship-7 flight in 1962.The first stage of the launch vehicle used for Apollo had a flag on it.The streaming convention was not followed because the Space Shuttle was able to land on its landing approach, but since Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo were not capable of horizontal atmospheric flight, the stripes were oriented with the direction of flight in mind.
There are flag patches on the right shoulder of some U.S. military uniforms.The Army's early history shows that both mounted cavalry and infantry units would designate a standard bearer who would carry the colors into battle.His forward motion caused the flag to come back.The Stars and Stripes are mounted with the canton closest to the pole, so the stripes flew left and right.Several US military uniforms, such as flight suits worn by members of the United States Air Force and Navy, have a flag patch on the left shoulder.[108]
Some organizations with flag patches on their uniforms can have the flag facing in either direction.According to the congressional charter of the Boy Scouts of America, Boy Scout uniforms should not be compared to U.S. military uniforms, and the flags are displayed on the right shoulder with the stripes facing front.Law enforcement officers usually wear a small flag patch above their shirt pocket.
The flag on the left shoulder of a U.S. Astronaut has been worn since the crew of Apollo 1 wore it on their right shoulder.The canton was on the left.
The United States Army's ACU uniform has a subdued-color flag patch.On the right upper sleeve, the patch is reversed.
The Battle of White Plains Issue depicted the flag with a circle of 13 stars on a postal stamp.There was a depiction of the 48-star flag on the General Casimir Pulaski issue of 1931.The flag was the sole subject of the first U.S. postage stamp.The flag has appeared on U.S. stamps frequently since that time.
In 1907, the Star Spangled Banner flag was lent by the grandson of Lieutenant Colonel George Armistead, and in 1912 he converted the loan to a gift.Appleton wanted the flag to be on view to the public.The National Museum of American History decided in 1994 that the Star Spangled Banner Flag needed further treatment to remain on display.The flag was moved from its home in the Museum's Flag Hall to a new lab in 1998.Following the reopening of the National Museum of American History on November 21, 2008, the flag is on display in a special exhibition, "The Star-Spangled Banner: The flag that inspired the national anthem," where it rests at a 10 degree angle in dim light.[52]
The U.S. flags are displayed at certain locations.
The flag is displayed at half-staff as a sign of respect or mourning.The president proclaims this action nationwide, while the governor proclaims it statewide or territory-wide.Municipal governments, private businesses and citizens are free to fly the flag at half-staff as a local sign of respect and mourning.Many flag enthusiasts feel this type of practice has diminished the meaning of the original intent of lowering the flag to honor those who held high positions in federal or state offices.On March 1, 1954, President Eisenhower issued the first flag half-staff proclamation, standardizing the dates and time periods for flying the flag from all federal buildings, grounds, and naval vessels.They are only guidelines to all other entities, which are usually followed at state and local government facilities.
To fly the flag at half-staff, one should first hoist it top of the staff, then lower it to the half staff position.When the flag is to be lowered from half-staff, it should be hoisted to the top of the staff.[129]