history of american flag lesson t.preece

8/9/2019 History of American Flag Lesson T.preece

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History of American Flag.

For more than 200 years, the American flag has been the symbol of our nation's strength and

unity. It's been a source of pride and inspiration for millions of citizens. And the American Flag has been a prominent icon in our national history. Here are the highlights of its unique

past.

On January 1, 1776, the Continental Army was reorganized in accordance with a Congressional

resolution which placed American forces under George Washington's control. On that NewYear's Day the Continental Army was laying siege to Boston which had been taken over by the

British Army. Washington ordered the Grand Union flag hoisted above his base at Prospect Hill.It had 13 alternate red and white stripes and the British Union Jack in the upper left-hand corner

(the canton).

In May of 1776, Betsy Ross reported that she sewed the first American flag.

On June 14, 1777, in order to establish an official flag for the new nation, the Continental

Congress passed the first Flag Act: "Resolved, That the flag of the United States be made of thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field,

representing a new Constellation."

Between 1777 and 1960, Congress passed several acts that changed the shape, design andarrangement of the flag and allowed for additional stars and stripes to be added to reflect the

admission of each new state.

Act of January 13, 1794 - provided for 15 stripes and 15 stars after May 1795. Act of April 4, 1818 - provided for 13 stripes and one star for each state, to be added to

the flag on the 4th of July following the admission of each new state, signed by PresidentMonroe.

Executive Order of President Taft dated June 24, 1912 - established proportions of theflag and provided for arrangement of the stars in six horizontal rows of eight each, a

single point of each star to be upward.

Executive Order of President Eisenhower dated January 3, 1959 - provided for the

arrangement of the stars in seven rows of seven stars each, staggered horizontally andvertically.

Executive Order of President Eisenhower dated August 21, 1959 - provided for the

arrangement of the stars in nine rows of stars staggered horizontally and eleven rows of stars staggered vertically.

Today the flag consists of thirteen horizontal stripes, seven red alternating with 6 white. Thestripes represent the original 13 colonies, the stars represent the 50 states of the Union. The

colors of the flag are symbolic as well: Red symbolizes Hardiness and Valor, Whitesymbolizes Purity and Innocence and Blue represents Vigilance, Perseverance and Justice.

Teacher’s Guide Beginning Information for the Lesson

http://www.usa-flag-site.org/






Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early lightWhat so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?

Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,

O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?

And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,

Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.

Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,

Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,

What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,

As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?

Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,

In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:

'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore

That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,A home and a country should leave us no more!

Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.

No refuge could save the hireling and slave

From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:

And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave


Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand

Between their loved home and the war's desolation!

Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land

Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.

Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,

And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."

And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave


The Star Spangled Banner

By Francis Scott Key 1814



A

M E R I C A

M y c o u n t r y , ' t i s o f T h e e L y r i c s

b y S a m u

e l F . S m i t h - 1 8 3 2

M y c o u n t r y , ' t i s o f T h e e ,

S w e e t L a n d o f L i b e r t y

O f t h e e I s i n g ;

L a n d w h e r e m y f a t h e r s d i e d ,

L a n d o f t h e p i l g r i m s ' p r i d e ,

F r o m e v e r y m o u n t a i n s i d e

L e t F r e e d o m r i n g .

M y n a t i v e c o u n t r y , t h e e ,

L a n d o f t h e n o b l e f r e e ,

T h y n a m e I l o v e ;

I l o v e t h y r o c k s a n d r i l l s ,

T h y w o o d s a n d t e m p l e d h i l l s ,

M y h e a r t w i t h r a p t u r e t h r i l l s

L i k e t h a t a b o v e .

L e t m u s i c s w e l l t h e b r e e z e ,

A n d r i n g f r o m a l l t h e t r e e s

S w e e t F r e e d o m ' s s o n g ;

L e t m o r t a l t o n g u e s a w a k e ;

L e t a l l t h a t b r e a t h e p a r t a k e ;

L e t r o c k s t h e i r s i l e n c e b r e a k ,

T h e s o u n d p r o l o n g .

O u r f a t h e r s ' G o d t o T h e e ,

A u t h o r o f

L i b e r t y ,

T o t h e e w

e s i n g ,

L o n g m a y

o u r l a n d b e b r i g h t

W i t h F r e e

d o m ' s h o l y l i g h t ,

P r o t e c t u s

b y t h y m i g h t

G r e a t G o d , o u r K i n g .

O u r g l o r i o u s L a n d t o - d a y ,

' N e a t h E d u c a t i o n ' s s w a y ,

S o a r s u p w

a r d s t i l l .

I t s h i l l s o f l e a r n i n g f a i r ,

W h o s e b o

u n t i e s a l l m a y s h a r e ,

b e h o l d t h e m e v e r y w h e r e

O n v a l e a n d h i l l !

T h y s a f e g

u a r d , L i b e r t y ,

T h e s c h o o

l s h a l l e v e r b e ,

O u r N a t i o

n ' s p r i d e !

N o t y r a n t

h a n d s h a l l s m i t e ,

W h i l e w i t h e n c i r c l i n g m i g h t

A l l h e r e a

r e t a u g h t t h e R i g h t

W i t h T r u t h a l l i e d .

B e n e a t h H e a v e n ' s g r a c i o u s w i l l

T h e s t a r s o f p r o g r e

s s s t i l l

O u r c o u r s e d o s w a

y ;

I n u n i t y s u b l i m e

T o b r o a d e r h e i g h t s

w e c l i m b ,

T r i u m p h a n t o v e r T

i m e ,

G o d s p e e d s o u r w a

y !

G r a n d b i r t h r i g h t o f o u r s i r e s ,

O u r a l t a r s a n d o u r

f i r e s

K e e p w e s t i l l p u r e !

O u r s t a r r y f l a g u n f u r l e d ,

T h e h o p e o f a l l t h e

w o r l d ,

I n p e a c e a n d l i g h t i m p e a r l e d ,

G o d h o l d s e c u r e !



T h e S t a r s a n d S t r i p e s F o r e v

e r

b y J o h n P h i l i p S o u s a - 1 8 9 7

L e t m a r t i a l n o t e i n t r i u m

p h f l o a t

A n d l i b e r t y e x t e n d i t s m

i g h t y h a n d

A f l a g a p p e a r s ' m i d t h u n

d e r o u s c h e e r s ,

T h e b a n n e r o f t h e W e s t e r n l a n d .

T h e e m b l e m o f t h e b r a v e a n d t r u e

I t s f o l d s p r o t e c t n o t y r a n

t c r e w ;

T h e r e d a n d w h i t e a n d s t a r r y b l u e

I s f r e e d o m ' s s h i e l d a n d h o p e .

O t h e r n a t i o n s m a y d e e m

t h e i r f l a g s t h e b e s t

A n d c h e e r t h e m w i t h f e r v i d e l a t i o n

B u t t h e f l a g o f t h e N o r t h

a n d S o u t h a n d W e s t

I s t h e f l a g o f f l a g s , t h e f l a g o f F r e e d o m ' s n a t i o n .

H u r r a h f o r t h e f l a g o f t h

e f r e e !

M a y i t w a v e a s o u r s t a n d a r d f o r e v e r ,

T h e g e m o f t h e l a n d a n d

t h e s e a ,

T h e b a n n e r o f t h e r i g h t .

L e t d e s p o t s r e m e m b e r t h e d a y

W h e n o u r f a t h e r s w i t h m

i g h t y e n d e a v o r

P r o c l a i m e d a s t h e y m a r c h e d t o t h e f r a y

T h a t b y t h e i r m i g h t a n d

b y t h e i r r i g h t

I t w a v e s f o r e v e r .

L e t m a r t i a l n o t e i n t r i u m p h f l o a t

A n d l i b e r t y e x t e n d i t s m i g h t y h a n d

A f l a g a p p e a r s ' m i d t h u n d e r o u s c h e e r s ,

T h e b a n n e r o f t h e W e s t e r n l a n d .

T h e e m b l e m o f t h e b r a v e a n d t r u e

I t s f o l d s p

r o t e c t n o t y r a n t c r e w ;

T h e r e d a n d w h i t e a n d s t a r r y b l u e

I s f r e e d o m

' s s h i e l d a n d h o p e .

O t h e r n a t i o n s m a y d e e m t h e i r f l a g s t h e b e s t

A n d c h e e r t h e m w i t h f e r v i d e l a t i o n

B u t t h e f l a g o f t h e N o r t h a n d S o u t h a

n d W e s t

I s t h e f l a g

o f f l a g s , t h e f l a g o f F r e e d o

m ' s n a t i o n .

H u r r a h f o

r t h e f l a g o f t h e f r e e !

M a y i t w a

v e a s o u r s t a n d a r d f o r e v e r ,

T h e g e m o f t h e l a n d a n d t h e s e a ,

T h e b a n n e r o f t h e r i g h t .

L e t d e s p o

t s r e m e m b e r t h e d a y

W h e n o u r f a t h e r s w i t h m i g h t y e n d e a v o r

P r o c l a i m e

d a s t h e y m a r c h e d t o t h e f r a y

T h a t b y t h

e i r m i g h t a n d b y t h e i r r i g h t

I t w a v e s f

o r e v e r .



N a m e________

________________________ D

a t e_______________



G e o r g e W a s h i

n g t o n s h o w e d B e t s y a d e s i g n t h a t h a d a s i x -

s i d e d

s t a r . B e t s y , w h

o w a s v e r y t a l e n t e d a t s e w i n g , s h o w e d t h e m e n

h o w s h e c o u l d

q u i c k l y a n d e a s i l y c u t o u t a p e r f e c t f i v e - s i d e d

s t a r i n s t e a d .

G e o r g e W a s h i

n g t o n , w h o l a t e r b e c a m e t h e f i r s t P r e s i d e n t o f

t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s ,

G e o r g e R o s s , w h o w a s B e t s y ’ s l a t e h u s b a n d ’ s

u n c l e , a n d t h e

v e r y w e a l t h y R o b e r t M o r r i s l i k e d t h e f i v e - s i d e d

s t a r s o t h e y a s k e d B e t s y t o c r e a t e t h e e n t i r e f l a g .

B e t s y f i n i s h e d

t h e f l a g w i t h i n a m o n t h . H e r f l a g h a d 1 3 r e d

a n d w h i t e s t r i p e s . T h e u p p e r c o r n e r w a s b l u e .

W i t h i n t h e b l u e

c o r n e r w a s a c

i r c l e o f t h i r t e e n w h i t e s t a r s

t o s i g n i f y t h e 1 3

c o l o n i e s .

D e s p i t e f i n i s h i n g t h e f l a g i n J u n e o f 1 7 7 6 , i t w a s n o t u n t i l

1 7 7 7

w h e n t h e U n i t

e d S t a t e s o f f i c i a l l y r e c o g n i z e d B e t s y R o s s ’ f l a g

a s t h e n a t i o n a l f l a g .

T h e f l a g s h o w s t h e u n i t y o f t h e n a t i o n o f s t a t e s t h a t a r e u n i t e d

u n d e r o n e g o v e r n m e n t . W h e n A m e r i c a n s

l o o k a t t h e f l a g t h e y

f e e l s t r o n g p a t r i o t i s m , o r p r i d e i n t h e i r c o

u n t r y .

Y o u m a y h a v e s e e n t h e A

m e r i c a n f l a g h a n g i n g i n y o u r

c l a s s r o o m . T h e A m e r i c a n

f l a g i s r e d , w h i t e , a n d b l u e . T h e

s t a r s a n d s t r i p e s o f t h e f l a g h a v e a s p e c i a l m e a n i n g .

T h e r e a r e 1 3 r e d a n d w h i t e s t r i p e s o n t h e A m e r i c a n f l a g . T h i s

i s b e c a u s e t h e r e w e r e 1 3 A

m e r i c a n c o l o n i e s t h a t b e c a

m e t h e

f i r s t s t a t e s w h e n t h e U n i t e

d S t a t e s w a s f o r m e d .

T h e r e a r e 5 0 s t a r s i n t h e u

p p e r l e f t c o r n e r o f t h e f l a g .

T h e s e

s t a r s a r e o u t l i n e d i n b l u e .

T h e r e a r e 5 0 s t a r s o n t h e f l a g

b e c a u s e t h e r e a r e 5 0 s t a t e s i n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s .

T h e f i r s t A m e r i c a n f l a g d i d n o t l o o k l i k e t h i s , t h o u g h

i t d i d

l o o k s i m i l a r . T h e m a i n d i f f e r e n c e i s t h a t m o r e s t a r s w

e r e

a d d e d a s m o r e s t a t e s b e c a

m e a p a r t o f t h e n e w c o u n t r y .

B e t s y R o s s c r e a t e d t h e f i r s t o f f i c i a l f l a g o f t h e U n i t e d

S t a t e s .

A t t h e t i m e , B e t s y w a s a t

g r e a t r i s k f o r c r e a t i n g a f l a g

. B e t s y

h a d a s e c r e t m e e t i n g a t h e

r u p h o l s t e r y s h o p i n P h i l a d e l p h i a ,

P e n n s y l v a n i a . T h e m e e t i n

g w a s i n M a y o f 1 7 7 6 w i t h

G e n e r a l

G e o r g e W a s h i n g t o n , R o b e r t M o r r i s , a n d C o l o n e l G e o r g e

R o s s .

T h e y h a d a v e r y s p e c i a l j o

b f o r B e t s y . T h e y n e e d e d h

e r t o

m a k e t h e f l a g t h a t w o u l d l a t e r b e c o m e t h e n a t i o n a l s y

m b o l o f

t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s !

B e t s y R o s s

& t h e A m e r i c a n F

l a g

N a m e________

________________________ D

a t e_______________



1 . T

h e p e r s o n w h o m a d e t h e f i r s t A m e r i c a n f l a g w a s :

A . G e o r g e W a s h i n g t o n

B . B e t s y R o s s

C . R o b e r t M o r r i s

D . G e o r g e R o s s

2 . T

h e y e a r t h e f i r s t f l a g w a s m

a d e w a s :

A . 1 7 7 6

B . 1 7

7 5

C . 1 7 7 7

D . 1 7

7 4

3 . W

h e r e d i d B e t s y R o s s l i v e a

n d h a v e a n u p h o l s t e r y s h o p

?

A . N e w Y o r k C i t y

B . R a l e i g h

C . P h i l a d e l p h i a

D . B o s t o n

4 . T

h e f i r s t o f f i c i a l f l a g o f t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s h a d________

s t a r

s o n i t .

A . 1 2

B . 1 3

C . 2 0

D . 5 0

1 5 . T h e c u r r e n t f l a g

o f t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s h a s__

_______ s t a r s

o n i t A . 1 2

B . 1 3

C . 2 0

D . 5 0

6 . G e o r g e W a s h i n g t o n o r i g i n a l l y w a n t e d a s t a

r w i t h______

s i d e s o n

t h e f l a g . A . 4

B . 5

C . 6

D . 8

7 . R o b e r t M o r r i s w

a s :

A .

B e t s y ’ s U n c l e

B . A w e a l t h y

m a n

C . T h e P r e s i d e n t

D . A B r i t i s h S o l d i e r

8 . T h e f l a g o f t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s h e l p s A m e r i c a n s t o s h o w p r i d e

i n t h e i r

c o u n t r y w h i c h i s a

l s o c a l l e d :

A . L o v e

B . H o p e

C . C h a r i t y

D . P a t r i o t i s m

B e t s y R o s s &

t h e A m e r i c a n F l

a g

Name__________

______________________Date_______________



Name ________________________________ Date ______________



Teacher’s Guide

Betsy Ross & the American Flag

Answer Key

1. B. Betsy Ross

2. A. 1776

3. C. Philadelphia

4. B. 13

5. D. 50

6. C. 6

7. B. A wealthy man

8. D. Patriotism



Name ________________________________ Date ____________



The Pledge of Allegiance

1. Review the Pledge of Allegiance with the class:

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the

Republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and

justice for all."

2. Tell students what the appropriate behavior is during the flag salute. Explain that they may

stand respectfully during the Pledge but are not required to say the words.

3. Explain that Americans pledge allegiance to the flag to show their loyalty to their country. Tellthem what the words of the Pledge of Allegiance mean. Use the Pledge of Allegiance activity.

o Have students cover up each definition with the correct word from the pledge.

o Cut out the word from the right hand side of the activity.

o Fold on the dotted line so that you have a window that opens.

o Cut out the entire square with the Pledge and the definitions on it and glue it toblue and red paper.

4. Explain that the word "pledge" is a synonym for the words "promise". Brainstorm with yourstudents a list of times that they have made a promise.

Teacher’s Guide

http://www.everythingesl.net/downloads/pledge_allegiance.pdf

http://www.everythingesl.net/downloads/pledge_allegiance.pdf



P l e d g e

o f A l l e g i a

n c e

N a m e________________________________

D a t e_______________

history of american flag lesson t.preece

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