U.S. FLAGS FROM 1776 - TODAY

The U.S. Flags

Grand Union Flag 1775

The Grand Union Flag is also known as the Continental Flag.

This flag combined Britain’s flag and 13 stripes, representing unity between the thirteen colonies.

This flag was flown at the forming of the Continental Army on New Year’s Day 1776.

The Betsy Ross Flag1776

Since there was no official flag during the first year of our country, there were many homespun flags.

Betsy Ross’ flag is the most well known of these flags.

According to Betsy Ross’ grandson, during the Revolutionary War, George Washington asked her to sew a flag.

The flag had 13 five-pointed stars in a circle on a blue background.

There were a total of 13 stripes: 7 red and 6 white.

Francis Hopkinson Flag1777

In 1777 Continental Congress passed the Flag Resolution, which declared that the flag would have 13 stars on a blue background, and 13 stripes (red and white).

This flag became the first official U.S. flag on June 14, 1777.

The 13 stars each had six points.

Some historians believed that the stars formed a circle, while others believe they may have been in rows.

Each of the 13 stars and 13 stripes represented the 13 colonies.

John Paul Jones Flag1779

This flag was raised by Captain John Paul Jones after the defeat of the British Navy ship, the Serapis. It is also sometimes known as the Serapis flag.

This flag is mostly blue, since at the time blue was considered the national color.

There are 12 eight pointed white stars and 1 seven pointed star.

There are 13 stripes, blue, red, and white.

Pierre L’Enfant Flag 1783

This flag has 13 red and white stripes, a blue canton, and 13 five pointed stars in the shape of an oval.

Some paintings show gold stars instead of white stars.

Pierre L’Enfant, the architect for Washington D.C., sketched this flag for a diploma for veterans of the Revolutionary War.

Indian Peace Flag1803

The U.S. government often presented “peace flags” to friendly Indian nations.

The flags typically displayed the U.S. coat of arms.

There are 13 five pointed stars in an arch above the coat of arms.

There are 13 stripes (red and write).

Easton Flag 1812

During the War of 1812, citizens of Easton, PA presented this flag to their First Company, First Regiment.

The striped canton and starry field reversed the original placement of the stars and stripes.

There were 13 stripes (red and white), and 13 eight pointed stars.

Star Spangled Banner1814

During the War of 1812 Baltimore’s Fort McHenry came under British fire. This inspired Francis Scott Key to write Star Spangled Banner, which later became the national anthem.

The Star Spangled Banner has 15 five pointed stars, and 15 stripes (red and white).

The two additional stars and stripes represented the addition of Vermont and Kentucky into the Union.

Parts of the original flag that flew over Ft. McHenry was given away by the family that owned the flag. They would give pieces of the flag to people they felt deserving. One of the stars is missing, and its location is unknown.

Bennington Flag1820

The design of this flag was used to invoke a feeling of nostalgia for 1776, the year the Declaration of Independence was signed.

There are 13 stars and 13 stripes (red and white).

It is unknown exactly when this flag was designed, but it is thought that it was flown during the American Revolution.

This flag is also unique in that the colors of the stripes alternate white/red, instead of the more traditional red/white.

Great Star Flag1837

This flag has a total of 26 five pointed stars in an “upside down” star formation. With the larger stars in the middle, moving out to smaller stars on the outside.

There are 13 stripes (red and white).

29 Star Flag1847

In 1847 one star was added to the flag representing Iowa. This would bring the total number of stars to 29.

The number of stripes (red and white) remained the same – 13, for the original 13 colonies.

Sometimes this flag was sewn showing the stars in a diamond formation, instead of the traditional rows.

Fort Sumter Flag1861

This 33 star flag flew over Ft. Sumter during the Civil War. The flag was surrendered at the defeat of Ft. Sumter.

At the end of the Civil War, the flag was returned to Ft. Sumter and raised again in celebration of the Union victory of the Civil War.

The stars represented the states that were added to the United States, the last star representing Oregon.

The five pointed stars make a diamond pattern.

Centennial Flag1876

This flag was unusual in that the stars were sewn to form the dates 1776 & 1876, to commemorate the Centennial of American independence.

There were 80 five pointed stars used to write the dates on the flag. However, the date 1776, has 37 stars which was the official number of states in the America at the time.

The number of stripes (red and white) represented the original 13 colonies.

38 Star Flag1877

The 38 star flag, had 38 five pointed stars representing the 38 states.

The stripes on the flag represented the original 13 colonies.

Peace Flag 1891

This flag had a total of 44 stars, represented the number of states.

The five pointed stars were arranged in rows, with 8 stars in the top and bottom row, and 7 stars on the 4 rows in between.

It had 13 stripes (red and white) representing the original 13 colonies.

This flag was dedicated to the search for world peace.

48 Star Flag 1912

This flag had 48 five pointed stars arranged in 6 rows with 8 stars in each row.

Unlike other flags, the stars are not staggered, but are in straight vertical and horizontal rows.

This flag was official for 47 years, longer than any other flag, through two World Wars and the emergence of the United States of America as the leading nation of the world. Eight Presidents served under this flag.

50 Star Flag1960

The flag of the United States consists of thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white, with a blue rectangle in the canton.

There are 50 small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and bottom) alternating with rows of five stars. The fifty stars on the flag represent the fifty U.S. states and the thirteen stripes represent the original 13 colonies.

Nicknames for the flag include the Stars and Stripes, Old Glory, and The Star-Spangled Banner .

WHITE SIGNIFIES PURITY AND INNOCENCE, RED, HARDINESS & VALOR,

AND BLUE, THE COLOR OF THE CHIEF.

THE STAR IS A SYMBOL OF THE HEAVENS AND THE DIVINE GOAL TO WHICH MAN

HAS ASPIRED. THE STRIPE IS SYMBOLIC OF THE RAYS OF LIGHT EMANATING FROM THE SUN.

The Colors of the Flag