The first American flag. The history of the US flag: why so many stars and stripes? The flag of the United States of America is always flown

, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania). The blue rectangle on the left side symbolizes the Union.

What do the stars on the US flag mean? The number of stars in the blue field corresponds to the number of states (currently 50). Red represents endurance and valor; dark blue - diligence, justice, vigilance; white - innocence and purity. The aspect ratio is 19:10.

Download high resolution flag

The flag changed over time depending on the number of states that made up the Union. A new star is added to the flag on July 4 after the new state joins the union. The number of lanes remains unchanged; the only exception is the flag of 1795 - 1818, when, along with two stars, 2 more stripes were added (later removed).

US flag colors

The flag of the United States is notable for the fact that the blue color in it is much darker than the blue used in the flags of other states. Officially, this shade of blue is called Navy Blue (Navy Blue). This is understandable from a practical point of view: in the 18th century there were no permanent dyes and “normal” blue would quickly fade to pale blue; the flag of a thick, dark blue color retained its properties for a long time. For the same reason, the red on the American flag is also darker than the red on the flags of other countries, although not to the same extent.

History of the US flag

The US national flag is one of the oldest national standards in the world. Although there is no documentary evidence to confirm the authorship of the design of the first "stars and stripes", historians, however, believe that Francis Hopkinson, whose signature among others is on the Declaration of Independence, made changes to the design of the already existing unofficial Continental flag and it became what we are today. we know him now. According to legend, the first American flag was sewn by a seamstress from Philadelphia - Betsy Ross. General George Washington raised the Continental Flag in 1776, with red and white stripes and the British Union Jack, just where the stars are today.

Several modifications of the flag with 13 stripes were used from 1776 to 1777 until Congress approved the official flag on June 14, 1777 - this day is now celebrated as Flag Day. The ruling read: "The flag of the thirteen United States consists of 13 alternating bands of red and white and 13 white stars on a blue field, representing the new constellation." And Washington explained the design in his own way: “We took the stars from heaven, red is the color of our homeland, the white stripes that separate it mean that we separated from it; these white stripes will go down in history as a symbol of freedom.”

The flag was first used at the Battle of Brandiwine, Pennsylvania in September 1777. And over foreign territory, it was first raised in early 1778, and it happened in Nassau in the Bahamas, where the Americans captured the British fort. The name "Old Glory" was given to the flag on August 10, 1831 - as Captain William Driver named it. The flag has changed 26 times since it was first adopted by 13 colonies. The flag with 48 stars was used for the longest time - for 47 years, and only after July 4, 2007, the current 50-star flag broke this record.

First US flag

At the time of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776, the United States did not have an official national flag. The Grand Alliance Flag is traditionally referred to as the "First National Flag", although it never had any official status, but was used by George Washington in the Revolutionary War and served as the basis for the design of the first official US flag.

Flying and using the US flag

The flag is usually flown all year round on most public buildings. Some private use is year-round, but becomes widespread on civic holidays such as Memorial Day, Veterans Day, President's Day, Flag Day, and Independence Day.

What is forbidden to do with the US flag

half-mast in respect for a person or thing, even if state flags, military colors and other flags are flown at half-mast in their honor;

display it with the canton down, except for the issuance of a distress signal;

display the flag in such a way that it touches anything located under it: the ground, floor, water, and other objects;

carry the flagpole horizontally (the flag must always be carried at an angle);

fix and display the flag in such a way that it could be damaged or dirty;

write and draw something on the flag;

wrap something in a flag;

use as clothing, bed linen and draperies,

use in a suit or on a sports uniform (at the same time, the image of the flag can be sewn onto the uniform of members of patriotic organizations, military, police and firefighters);

print its image on napkins, boxes and other disposable items.

Rules for Circulating and Flying the US Flag

Public Law 94-344, known as the US Flag Code, governs the circulation and flow of the US national flag. While federal law does not provide for any penalties for misuse of the flag, each state has its own flag law and may penalize violators. Federal law clearly states that the flag is an important state symbol. In response to the Supreme Court's ruling that state bans on flag burning were unconstitutional, Congress passed the Flag Protection Act in 1989. It states that anyone who deliberately desecrates the flag can be fined and/or imprisoned for up to one year. However, this act was challenged in 1990 by the Supreme Court, which ruled that it violated the freedom of speech guaranteed by the First Amendment to the US Constitution.

The flag is flown on the following days:

January: 1 (New Year's Day) and 20 (Inauguration Day);
February: 12th (Abraham Lincoln's birthday) and 3rd Monday (President's Day, originally George Washington's birthday);
May: 3rd Saturday (Armed Forces Day);
June: 14 (Flag Day);
July: 4 (Independence Day);
September: 1st Monday (Labor Day) and 17th (Constitution Day);
October: 2nd Monday (Christopher Columbus Day) and 27th (Navy Day);
November: 11th (Veterans Day) and 4th Thursday (Thanksgiving Day);
and any other days as may be announced by the President of the United States; state birthdays; and on public holidays.

Flying a half-mast flag

At federal government offices, the flag must be flown at half mast on the following days:

last Monday in May - Memorial Day (before noon);

for 30 days - the death of the president or former president;

for 10 days - the death of the Vice President, Chief Justice (or retired) or Speaker of the House of Representatives;

from death to the day of burial - member of the Supreme Court, member of the government, former vice president, president pro tempore of the Senate, leaders of the majority or minority party of the Senate and the House of Representatives. Also for federal agencies within a state or territory, for the governor;

The Day After Death - Senators, Members of Congress, Territorial Delegates, or Resident Commissioners in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

rituals

Every morning, schoolchildren and kindergarten students throughout the United States, under the guidance and with the direct participation of teachers or educators, say the Pledge of Allegiance to the US flag (despite the fact that the US Supreme Court ruled back in 1943 that children should not be forced to read the oath). It is also known from the practice of the San Francisco District Federal Court that when the oath was read in the classroom, a student who refused to say the required words was offered "an unacceptable choice between participation and protest."

At the same time, it is known that the practice of applying the ritual is very diverse. So, for example, in the state of Texas, in addition to the oath of allegiance to the American flag, a similar oath of allegiance to the flag of the state of Texas is pronounced. In Missouri, schoolchildren take an oath not every day, but once a week, and in Mississippi - once a month.

Of the fifty American states, thirty-three have the oath of allegiance legally approved for recitation, and in eleven of them the original version of the oath is pronounced, where God is not mentioned. In six states, the oath is not recommended for recitation, and in the remaining eleven, the administration of each school decides this issue on its own.

Articles from Wikipedia- free encyclopedia.

https://pandia.ru/text/79/197/images/image003_14.gif" alt="(!LANG:Signature:" align="left" width="196" height="126">Флаг страны представляет собой полотнище из 13 одинаковых полос красного (сверху и снизу) чередуются с белыми; в левом верхнем углу расположен синий прямоугольник с 50 маленькими звездами, нарисованными таким образом, что девять линий звезд чередуются по шесть и по пять, со смещением через один ряд; 50 звезд символизируют 50 штатов, 13 полос представляют 13 изначальных колоний, когда каждому штату (а их было 13) соответствовала одна полоса и одна звезда.!}

The urgent need to create a new American flag was associated with the outbreak of the War of Independence. A new symbol was needed, and in 1775 Congress adopted the maritime ensign for American ships, consisting of 13 horizontal red and white stripes with the British flag in the canton.

In 1776, the Declaration of Independence of the United States was adopted at the 2nd Continental Congress

A year later, in 1777, the Second Continental Congress adopted the US national flag, which consisted of 13 red and white stripes and 13 white stars on a blue background. The design of the flag was proposed by New Jersey MP Francis Hopkinson. Soon Plymouth seamstresses sewed the first star-striped flag. In this version of the flag, 13 stars in the blue canton of the flag formed a circle. And he went down in history as the "flag of Betsy Ross."

In 1818, it was decided to add only stars, leaving 13 bands intact. The current star-striped flag was approved on July 4, 1960, when, in connection with the annexation of Hawaii, the 50th star appeared on it. The flag change is made on July 4 after the next state is admitted to the union. During its history, the US flag has undergone 26 changes.

One of the interpretations of the flag, attributed to George Washington, says: “We took the stars from Heaven; red meant the country from which we sailed; white stripes on red are a symbol of the fact that we have separated from it, and the stripes will have to symbolize the freedom of future generations."

Also, red symbolizes valor, courage and zeal; white - purity of thoughts, honesty, freedom, directness; and blue stands for steadfastness, loyalty, perseverance and justice. The stars symbolize sovereignty.

In 1777, at the height of the Revolutionary War, the Continental Congress approved the Stars and Stripes.

(Stars and Stripes) as the official flag of all the free states of America.

The idea of ​​celebrating the Flag Festival every year seems to date back to 1885. B. J. Seagrand, a schoolteacher organized it for students in Fredonia, a public school in Wisconsin, 6th District, to celebrate June 14 (the 108th anniversary of the Stars and Stripes' inauguration) as the "Birthday of the Flag." In numerous articles in magazines and newspapers and in personal letters in subsequent years, Sigrand continued to enthusiastically promote the celebration of June 14 as "Flag's Birthday" or "Flag Day".

On June 14, 1889, George Balch, an elementary school teacher in New York City, planned a beautiful ceremony for the children of his school, and his idea of ​​celebrating Flag Day was later adopted by the Board of Education in New York State. On June 14, 1891, the city of Betsy Ross House in Philadelphia supported the celebration of Flag Day, and on June 14 of the following year, the Society of the Sons of the Revolution of New York celebrated Flag Day.

Colonel J. Granville Leach suggested that this holiday should be celebrated in the future under the name "Flag Day", and on this day schoolchildren were called to parades and each child was given a small Flag.

Adults also took part in patriotic programs. Lane, Minister of State, delivered a Flag Day speech in 1914 that included these words on behalf of the flag : “I am what you made me. I sway before your eyes like a bright reflection of light, I am a symbol of yourself.

In 1894, the Governor of New York issued a decree that the June 14th Flag Day celebration should be displayed on public buildings. It was then that flags began to be hung on houses to show their patriotism.

Inspired by these three decades of state and local celebrations, Flag Day—the anniversary of the adoption of the Flag in 1777—was officially proclaimed by President Woodrow Wilson on May 30, 1916. At that time, Flag Day was celebrated in various communities for many years after Wilson's proclamation.

Then, on August 3rd, 1949, the 33rd President of the United States, Harry Truman, signed an Act of Congress that affirmed June 14 National Flag Day.

It is fair to admit that the national flag of the United States of America is the most recognizable in the world. Visually, it is familiar even to schoolchildren in remote settlements on all inhabited continents. But the details of the history of the American flag, coupled with the traditions of celebrating his Day, are known to a lesser extent.

It is easy to guess that the beginning of the history of the creation of their own flag by the Americans dates back to the end of the 17th century, when in 1776 the descendants of the first colonists recognized themselves as a separate nation and declared independence from Great Britain. The Declaration of Independence proclaimed the appearance of the United States on the world map, and in 1783 finally won the battle for independence.

However, on July 4, 1776, the day the Declaration of Independence was signed, the young state did not have its own flag.

On June 14, 1777, the official Law on the National Flag was adopted, legitimizing as a state symbol a canvas of 13 red and white horizontal stripes, as well as a blue rectangle with 13 white five-pointed stars.

The 13 stripes symbolized the number of first independent states. These are Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Virginia, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island.

It is not possible to establish who exactly came up with this version of the flag today, however, historians are inclined to the version of the authorship of Francis Hopkinson, one of the "fathers of the nation" who signed the Declaration of Independence.

The first ever US flag is believed to have been sewn by Betsy Ross (often called a dressmaker, however, this lady belonged to a highly respected circle). The involvement of Betsy Ross in the manufacture of the first panel is reflected in literature and painting, although the legend, which is not devoid of historical plausibility, has no documentary evidence.

In June 1776, Betsy Ross was invited to a meeting where, in addition to Washington, her late husband's uncle, Colonel Robert Morris, one of the "fathers" of the young state, was present.

It was Betsy, the legend says, that the meeting participants instructed to sew the flag according to the sketch, which depicted hexagonal stars. Betsy Ross critically assessed the project and suggested that the stars be made with five-pointed ones, immediately cutting them out with scissors.

The first battle in which the independence fighters fought under the new flag was at Brandywine in Pennsylvania in September 1777.

The first change of the US flag dates back to May 1, 1795 - the day when the entry into the US of the states of Vermont and Kentucky was officially fixed. The addition of two stripes and two stars to the cloth coincided with the famous British shelling of Fort McHenry in Baltimore. These two events 19 years later - in 1814 - were sung in the poem "The Stars and Stripes" by Francis Scott Key. It is this text that we know today as the anthem of the United States of America.

In 1818, the American flag changes shape again. The reason is the accession of the states of Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio and Tennessee. There were five more stars, but it was decided not to add stripes: on the contrary, it was decided to leave their original number - 13. Since that time, only stars have been added to the cloth.

In the future, the US flag has changed 25 more times. A new star, traditionally symbolizing the accession of a new state, was added on the 4th of July holiday.

On July 4, 1819, a star appeared in the blue rectangle of the flag, marking the incorporation of the state of Illinois.

On the same day, but already in 1820, Alabama and Maine announced their entry into the States with new stars on the cloth, in 1822 - Missouri, in 1836 - Arkansas, in 1837 - Michigan, in 1845 - Florida, 1846 Texas, 1848 Iowa, 1848 Wisconsin, 1851 California, 1858 Minnesota, 1859 Oregon, 1861 - Kansas, in 1863 - West Virginia, in 1865 - Nevada, in 1867 - Nebraska, in 1877 - Colorado, in 1890 - North Dakota, South Dakota, Idaho, Washington, Montana, in 1891 - Wyoming, 1896 - Utah, 1908 - Oklahoma, 1912 - New Mexico and Arizona, 1959 - Alaska, 1960 - Hawaii.

As a result, 50 stars are presented on the canvas of the US flag, arranged in nine rows. A project to add a 51st star, symbolizing the annexation of Puerto Rico, is under consideration.

In most cases, different people became the authors of the visual solution of the flag. The draft of the last version - with 50 stars - was developed in 1958 by 17-year-old Robert Heft from the provincial in Ohio, who received such a task from his teacher with the prospect of submitting a drawing for approval to Congress.

Let's talk about the history of the appearance of the Flag Day in the calendar. History has preserved the name of the person who was the first to celebrate it. This is Bijay Seagrand, a school teacher who celebrated Flag Day in 1885 with his pupils, which soon became known everywhere.

A year later, the tradition laid down by the teacher was picked up by many, but it was not until 1916 that President Wilson signed an official document declaring June 14 as a flag holiday, and in 1949 President Truman as National Flag Day.

Americans have a great deal of respect for the ethics of handling the flag. Hanging it upside down is possible only when the “SOS” signal is given in this way. At the same time, US citizens who burn the flag as a protest against the actions of the country's administration are not prosecuted by law.

Another fact that seems rather contradictory is that any image of the flag, including on the packaging, is equated directly to the flag in the USA, and citizens are not recommended to wear ties, T-shirts and other wardrobe items with this image due to the fact that only one is allowed. a form of disposal of a worn-out flag is burning. However, all who wish to wear this image wherever they please, without fear of reprimands.

A new draft flag has been prepared. The modern flag was approved on July 4, 1960. It is noteworthy that each new flag in the United States is adopted on July 4th.

The flag of the United States is called "Stars and Stripes" by the inhabitants of the states, which means: "Stars and Stripes".

Among the state flags of the countries of the world is one of the most changeable.

Description

The US flag is a rectangular panel with thirteen white and red stripes. In the roof there is a blue rectangle with 50 white stars. It has an aspect ratio of 10:19.

Symbolism

• The red color symbolizes valor.
• Blue color means diligence and vigilance.
• White is the color of innocence and purity.
• Thirteen stripes means the original number of states that formed the state.
• The 50 stars symbolize the number of states, although the US currently includes 50 states and one federal district.

• Flag Width: A=1
• Flag Length: B=1.9
• Star Region Width: C = 0.5385 (A x 7/13, occupies seven lanes)
• Star area length: D = 0.76 (B × 2/5, two-fifths of the flag's length)
• E = F = 0.0538 (C/10, one tenth of the width of the star region)
• G = H = 0.0633 (D/12, one twelfth of the length of the star region)
• Star diameter: K = 0.0616
• Stripe width: L = 0.0769 (A/13, one thirteenth of the flag's width)

The flag of the president is similar to the standard.

US historical flags

Flag of the colony of Britain on the Atlantic coast, 1775

John Paul and his pirate flag

In 1773 he became a captain in the West Indies. During this period, he accumulated a fixed capital.

In 1776, he begins pirating off the coast of Britain. In 1779 he attacked the city of Liverpool. Since 1788 he has served in the fleet of the Russian Empire. In the same year, he took part in the Russian-Turkish war, leading the squadron. In 1792 he was appointed US Consul in Algiers. In the same year, he died unexpectedly. John Paul is buried in the USA.

The first flag of the United States is considered to be the Continental Flag, raised on December 2, 1775 by Lieutenant John Paul Jones on the ship "Alfred" in the harbor of Philadelphia.

The flag for Alfred was made by Margaret Manny. The cloth consisted of 13 red and white equal horizontal stripes with 13 white eight-pointed stars on a blue background.

US flags of 1777

In 1777, the United States was marked by such an event as the second Continental Congress. The de facto second Continental Congress became the national government during the American Revolutionary War. The United States includes the following states: New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Georgia, Maryland, South Carolina, Virginia, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Delaware. The United States during this period used three types of flags, the most famous of which was the flag of Betsy Ross (the Betsy Ross flag).

Historians still do not agree on the authorship of the US flag. There is a legend according to which the first state flag was made by Betsy Rossi. Currently, her image is still popularized in the United States. She is an example of patriotism.

There are alternative variants of the 1777 US flag:

These flags lasted 18 years.

The flag was adopted on May 1, 1795 and lasted 23 years. Two stars were added to the flag, symbolizing the addition of two new states to the state: Vermont and Kentucky.

US flags of 1818

During this period, the country included the following states: Tennessee, Ohio, Louisiana, Mississippi, Indiana.

During this period, the state of Illinois became part of the country.

During this period, the country included the following states: Alabama and Maine.

During this period, the state of Missouri entered the state.

During this period, the state of Arkansas entered the state.

US flags of 1837

During this period, Michigan entered the state.

During this period, Florida entered the state.

During this period, the state of Texas entered the state.

During this period, the state of Iowa entered the state.

During this period, the state of Wisconsin entered the state.

In 1848, the number of stars on the flag reached 30.

During this period, the state of California entered the state.

During this period, the state of Minnesota entered the state.

US Flags 1859

In this period of time it was possible to meet 4 different flags.

During this period, the state of Oregon entered the state.

1861 US flag

During this period, the state of Kansas entered the state.

During this period, the state of West Virginia entered the state.

1865 US flags

During this period, the state of Nevada entered the state.

1867 US flags

During this period, the state of Nebraska entered the state.

US Flags 1877

During this period, the state of Colorado entered the state.

During this period, the state included the states of Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Washington.

During this period, the state of Wyoming entered the state.

All countries have state flags. You can forget the words of the anthem, find it difficult to depict the components of the coat of arms, but from early childhood we remember the flag of our homeland. He accompanies us everywhere; at houses and stadiums, at memorials and state institutions, at conferences and congresses, in the quiet of offices and at parades, on ship flagpoles and in television news programs. Millions of people are proud of their national flags. Only among the countries that are members of the UN, their number approaches 200. Therefore, it is extremely difficult to remember everything. True, some of them are easily recognizable. For example: the square Swiss flag, as well as the flag of the International Committee of the Red Cross derived from it. The American national flag is also known all over the world, with 13 horizontal alternating red and white stripes and an upper dark blue roof with the image of 50 five-pointed white stars. One of the main symbols of the United States of America.

The number of flags in the world is so great that it is difficult to count. Indeed, in addition to state, there are also naval and commercial flags. In addition, within the states themselves, separate regions have independent flags: states, lands, provinces, cantons, provinces, departments, etc. The flags of historically departed or newly formed formations also function there. Let's say there are other places in the US where Confederate flags are flown. It should not be forgotten that every city and municipal association has them. But there are not only administrative formations. A special place here is occupied by sports organizations, where each club and even a team in all sports has its own flag. Not to mention numerous international organizations and national movements: the UN, the Olympic Committee, various ethnic flags, etc. A special place is occupied by the flags of social movements: pacifists, homosexuals, etc. The flags of numerous commercial organizations and a huge number of banners and church banners.

Let's try to understand their differences. First - banners from the flag. The fact is that if the latter can be produced in large, even industrial volumes, then the banner is always individual. Let's say there is a banner of a regiment, or a banner of a division. There cannot be more than one. As a rule, banner panels are made of two pieces of fabric sewn along the perimeter, which differ in appearance and possible inscriptions. Made of expensive materials (velvet, satin, brocade), they are usually decorated with ribbons, embroidery, fringe or tassels, and fastened with special nails to a shaft decorated with a pointed tip. It is customary to store banners in a case, and only specially trained banner bearers have the right to take them out and deploy them. Thus, the banners are, as it were, the official "face" of certain organizations.

If we are talking about the representation of the flag of any particular position or post, then it automatically turns into a standard. We are familiar with the "presidential standard" as a symbol of power. There are many more different modifications of flags, which include a pennant, badge, flag, canton or weather vane. But this is more interesting for sailors and specialists. And now we will pay attention to the differences in their colors. Of course, there are also monochrome ones among them. Everyone knows about the white flag, which, according to the Geneva Conventions, serves as a sign of truce, either as a proposal for negotiations or surrender. And black is usually associated with the "Jolly Roger" - a pirate flag that has a skull and crossbones on it.

The revolutionary red flags of the Soviet Union, China or Vietnam with the corresponding star attributes are also well known to us. But most often, flags are still made in multi-colored, with a vertical or horizontal arrangement of the corresponding stripes. There are also the same among them: red-white in Monaco and Poland, or red-white-blue tricolors of Russia and the Netherlands, but with a different arrangement of stripes. Although there are many options here.

The design of the flags can be jagged (where two colors are separated by a zigzag edge), bordered (in which the main color is surrounded by another color), or, like the St. Andrew's flag, divided into four equal sections, etc. In this sense, the flag of Norway is especially interesting, which is called the "mother of all flags" because it includes the flags of Indonesia, Poland, Finland, France, the Netherlands and Thailand.

The flags of the British Overseas Territories are very similar, differing from each other only in coats of arms. Most often on the flags you can see the image of the sun or the Scandinavian cross, or elements that somehow reflect the history and culture of states. Despite the fact that the design of most national flags is represented by various geometric shapes and common symbols, there are flags with incredibly exotic images. For example, a Kalashnikov assault rifle is placed on the flag of Mozambique, Cyprus transferred a map of the island to it, and the flag of Cambodia is very convenient for tourists: it depicts the main attraction of the country - the temple of Angkor Wat. On the flag of Benin, a naked man with a sword beheads another, and on the flag of Wales, a dragon. By the way, images of birds and animals can be seen on the flags of many countries: Mexico has a golden eagle, Uganda has a crane, Zambia has an eagle, Sri Lanka has a lion, Moldova has a bison head, Belgian Wallonia has a rooster, and the Chelyabinsk region has a camel. city Petersburg in Florida chose a white pelican, Berlin a bear, and Hannover a white horse.

Found on the flags and the image of plants. The most famous of them is the maple leaf on the flag of Canada. In Cyprus, we see branches of the olive, Brussels - iris, Equatorial Guinea - a cotton tree, Mexico - a cactus. You can watch these and many other interesting facts and stories related to flags in the video show "Entertaining Flags with Shelton Cooper". The fact is that the host of this series, the talented American comedian Jim Parsons (known for the film "The Big Bang Theory") is an ardent admirer of vexillology: a historical science that studies all types of flags and banners, their shapes, components, heraldic or symbolic signs and compositions flowers, establishing the origin and evolution of their development. The books of the American flagologist Whitney Smith, translated into almost all European languages, also served as a wide popularization of vexillology. The word itself comes from the Latin vexillum"(banner), the ancient Roman name for the predecessor of modern flags -" vexillum ", a small panel attached with its upper edge to a horizontal staff. Combined with the Latin "logos" ("word" or "doctrine"), it formed the term vexillology, which is now used as an international one. Of course, the Romans were not the first to use flags. This was preceded by

Centuries-old history

But, strange as it sounds, it was born from superstition. Our ancient ancestors believed that some animals or birds could become their protectors and promote good luck in hunting. They painted their images on the walls of the caves, and when they went hunting, they often took with them a pole with the image of the figures of the chosen deities. In addition, it was easy to determine the whereabouts of fellow tribesmen from a highly raised pole. This custom was subsequently used by ancient civilizations. It is known that in ancient Egypt, already about five thousand years ago, during campaigns, warriors carried long poles with special badges-symbols of their units, which were crowned with a figure of a falcon, a deity recognized in Egypt. Assyrian warriors at the end of a long pole fixed a disk with the image of a bull, or two, but grappled with horns. The ancient Greeks developed this tradition even more: any city, nation or state could be identified by their chosen holy animal or bird: the owl was the symbol of Athens, the galloping horse was Corinth, the bull was Boeotia. The Romans adopted it from the Greeks. To the signums, the so-called symbols of the Roman legion, they tied the tails of animals, bunches of hay, fixed various metal badges. In 104 BC consul Marius officially decided that the image of an eagle would henceforth become the sign of the Roman legion.

For a long time, the eagle was a totem among the peoples of Asia, then the ancient Persians, Greeks, and later the Romans adopted this tradition from them. A unique artifact serves as a kind of proof of this: the world's oldest flag, made in the third millennium BC. It was discovered in Shahdad, an ancient region of Iran, and is now kept in the National Museum of Tehran. This ancient "Shahdad flag" is a plate measuring 22 by 22 centimeters, made of an alloy of copper with other metals and an admixture of arsenic. Ancient symbols were engraved on it, and the flagpole was crowned with an eagle figurine. The first Roman banners differed from modern ones in that their purple panels were not attached to the pole, as they are now, but hung vertically from a small transverse bar nailed to a long pole. The Chinese were the first to fasten the cloth not to the transverse bar, but directly to the pole. They also replaced the heavy and rough cloths of the Romans with Chinese silk. About 100 BC. e. in China, they began to use this, then unknown in Europe, light and durable fabric, the panel from which was easily painted and fluttered, fluttering even with a light wind. And the bright figures depicted on it seemed alive and were easily distinguishable from afar.

It is believed that it was at that time that the tradition of using banners in military campaigns was born, although in China they were also used to organize religious processions in temples. The Arabs were the first to adopt it: the founder of Islam, the prophet Muhammad (c. 570 - 632), went on campaigns only under the banner. First under black, and then under green, which has since been considered the "color of the prophet." During the Crusades to the Holy Land (XI-XIII centuries), European knights also became acquainted with these Arab customs. Soon, flags also appeared over their castles and estates, but with their family coats of arms. And in 1189, before the start of the third crusade, it was decided that the German emperor Frederick I Barbarossa, the French king Philip II Augustus, the Austrian duke Leopold V and the English king Richard I the Lionheart, who led it, would march under their own banners . This was caused not so much by serious contradictions between them, but by different ways of advancing their armies to the Holy Land.

However, the flag of Denmark is considered to be the first officially recognized national flag. An interesting legend is connected with its appearance. As if at the beginning of the 13th century, the Danish king Valdemar II organized a campaign against the pagan Estonians. They decided to go for a trick: agreeing to make peace and be baptized, they suddenly treacherously attacked the Danes. Caught off guard, they began to retreat. At this time, their king saw in the evening sky stained with sunset - a white cross. And soon, in the hands of the archbishop praying for the army, the Dannebrog (“Danish flag”) fell from the sky.

Taking this miracle as a sign from God, the Danes perked up and crushed the enemy. This happened on June 15, 1219. Since then, every year on this day, Dannebrog's birthday is celebrated in the Danish King's Garden in Tallinn. And the figure of an iron knight installed there, with a sword and a red and white shield, stylized as the colors of the Danish flag, indicates the place where the flag came down to earth. Similar legends related to the origin of national flags exist in many countries. For example, the Austrian flag consists of three equal stripes: red, then white, and again red. It is believed that during the Third Crusade, the Austrian Duke Leopold V fought so fiercely against the Saracens that he was wounded, and his white marching uniform was covered with blood. But when he removed the belt, it turned out that no blood had penetrated under it, and a white stripe remained in the middle of the uniform. The Duke liked these colors so much that he subsequently transferred them to his standard. And in 1230, Duke Frederick II approved this combination of red and white as the flag of Austria.

In Germany, they like to tell the story of how, during the Napoleonic Wars, German student volunteers formed the so-called "Freedom Corps" under the command of von Lützow. His uniform was student black frock coats with sewn red epaulettes and brass buttons. It is assumed that these colors: black, red and gold, then became part of the German national tricolor. There are similar legends about the American flag. At least the story that happened on August 3, 1777, when Fort Schuyler (in the New York area) was besieged by the British, was sent reinforcements from Massachusetts. His fighters brought with them the news of the decision taken by Congress to establish the official flag of the 13 United States. There was a resolution, but the flag itself was not there yet. And then the soldiers urgently sewed it from their white shirts torn into strips, the red flannel skirts of the officers' wives, and the blue coat of Captain Abraham Swarthout ( Abraham Swartwout) and then raised it over the fort. The veracity of this story is confirmed by a voucher from Congress that returned to the captain the value of his coat used to produce the flag. True, here we are not talking about the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bcreating the flag itself, but about an unusual form of its implementation.

And yet, in many countries of the world, flags were originally used at sea, and then on land. The first signs of ownership and nationality of ships were emblems or coats of arms painted on the sails of the ship. Heraldic shields attached along the gunwales served the same purpose. But gradually they were supplanted by real state flags. This started and

History of the American National Flag

So, in 1776, the US Declaration of Independence was adopted by the II Continental Congress. The new state included 13 territories that were former British colonies: Virginia, Delaware, Georgia, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Connecticut, South Carolina and North Carolina. This document summed up the results of the struggle that has been going on for many years. Suffice it to recall the "Boston Massacre" in March 1770, when English soldiers in Massachusetts opened fire on an unarmed crowd, or the "Boston Tea Party", in which on December 16, 1773, in response to the actions of the British government in Boston Harbor, cargo was destroyed tea from the British East India Company. All these years, the ships belonging to the colonies dissatisfied with their position, nevertheless, carried out trade and military operations. But under what flag? It is believed that they came out under the so-called. The Continental Flag, which was a slightly modified copy of the flag of the British East India Company. The only difference was that they, having retained 13 red and white stripes, a rectangular roof (the upper part of the flag at the flagpole) with the image of the British "Union Jack" ( Union Jack) was replaced by a square one. This is easily explained - after all, then no one even thought about a complete separation from Great Britain. This Continental Flag was commonly known by the name Grand Union Flag- the flag of the Great Union, the flag of Cambridge or the flag of the Congress.

Flag of the East India Company and the Continental Flag. Photo: depositphotos.com

It is believed that it was first raised on December 2, 1775 by Lieutenant John Paul Jones on the ship "Alfred" in the harbor of Philadelphia. It is also known about the use in those days of the Gadsden yellow flag with the image of a rattlesnake curled up and ready to bite and the text under it: "Do not step on me." Or the "Freedom Tree" flag, featuring a lone green pine tree on a white background, sometimes with the words "Speaking to Heaven" written on it. As well as the flag of Bedford, with an armored hand raising a sword, and the Latin inscription "Conquer or Die." There were many more options. B. Franklin, who accepted the post of US ambassador in Paris, even received a request from the Sicilians with a request to inform them under what flag should American ships enter foreign ports? It was necessary to make a final decision on a single national flag of the country.

And on June 14, 1777, Congress finally approved it. This day in the United States will later be celebrated as Flag Day. The resolution read: "The flag of the 13 United States consists of 13 alternating stripes of red and white and 13 white stars on a blue field, representing the new constellation." And J. Washington explained the design in his own way: “We took the stars from heaven, red is the color of our homeland, the white stripes that separate it mean that we separated from it; and these white stripes will go down in history as a symbol of freedom.” Now it was time to design the flag. This was done by Francis Hopkinson Francis Hopkinson) is one of the Founding Fathers, a lawyer who signed the Declaration of Independence as a delegate from New Jersey. He acted simply, taking the Continental flag as a basis. Moreover, it was not necessary to explain where 13 stripes appeared on the flag of the East India Company: all these stories about Masons, the meaning of the number 13, and the fact that the murder of the Templars was carried out on Friday, October 13th. Everything was clear here: after all, the number of colonies that signed the Declaration was also 13, which means that the alternating red and white stripes could be kept. Now the question arose about the roof. The image of the British "Union Jack" Hopkinson replaced with a starry sky, with the same 13 white stars (states) in the blue sky. And if “we took the stars from heaven”, then it was logical to make them 6-pointed, i.e. biblical, or Bethlehem. These stars, by the way, will then appear in the first edition of the coat of arms, and later on the chest of the sheriffs. Hopkinson's appeal to Congress with a request to pay for it can serve as confirmation of the work he did. But the payment was never made. On the one hand, because he simply fulfilled the instructions of the Congress, for which he received the corresponding salary of a congressman. On the other hand, many flags made later did not quite match his design. According to his idea, the stars in the roof should have been arranged in rows, and they were placed in a circle, or in a semicircle with the number 76 - the year the Declaration of Independence was adopted, and in other versions. In addition, 6-pointed stars have been replaced with 5-pointed ones. But why and by whom was it done? Presumably by D. Washington himself. Indirect confirmation of this can serve as a common legend about the seamstress Betsy Ross ( Betsy Ross).

Allegedly, members of a certain Congressional commission came to her workshop in early June 1766 with a proposal to make a flag. Among them was General Washington, well known to her, who attended the same church with her and had already used her services, as well as financier Robert Morris and her husband's uncle (representative of Pennsylvania), Colonel Ross. She immediately agreed, but made a few remarks: the flag should be made not square, but rectangular, and six-pointed stars should be replaced with pentagonal ones, since they are easier to make. J. Washington immediately agreed with her suggestions and corrected the drawing. He probably remembered then what form the Continental flag has, and that exactly 5-pointed stars shine on his family coat of arms. They then took this modified blueprint to Congress, where it was reviewed. And the very next day, Colonel Ross said that her changes were approved, and she could get to work. So, according to legend, Betsy Ross made the first union flag and then for many years produced flag panels for the US government. This story was told at a meeting of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania in March 1870 by her grandson William Canby, confirmed only by the testimony of members of his family. If at other times this message had simply been ignored, or ridiculed, now it has fallen on fertile ground. Philadelphia was preparing to celebrate the centenary of the United States, and such a heroine suited them in every way. Because this story immediately hit the newspapers, magazines and children's books. And it has become so popular and famous that no one even thinks about its authenticity. But in the documents of Congress during this period, it was not possible to find any mention or reference to the existence of any committees for the creation of the flag, meetings to consider its design, much less approval. There are no documents on agreements with Betsy to make flags for the Congress in the future. And the very visit of eminent guests to her is doubtful. Imagine the situation: busy on the fronts of the revolution and torn between Boston and New York, military General J. Washington finds time to create not only sketches of the flag, but also visit a seamstress. What, couldn't they have sent someone faster? And the fact itself: he draws 6-pointed stars and comes to Betsy so that she dissuades him? And to him, a statesman, what does it matter how much time a seamstress spends on carving stars? Not to mention that Washington was not in Philadelphia at all at that time. And why did Betsy and her relatives remain silent about this event for over 100 years? But now it doesn't matter anymore. In school textbooks and in the manuals for passing on American citizenship, this story is presented as an absolute reality. In Philadelphia, the house where she lived was purchased. And now every guest of this city certainly visits it. Dozens of artists depicted her meeting with Washington and working on the flag, and in 1952, in honor of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Betsy Ross, a special three-cent stamp was issued. So she turned into a kind of symbol, despite the fact that at least 17 people could claim the right to be called a seamstress who made the first American flag. But the most amazing thing is that this first union flag, with the image of 13 stars in the form of a ring, lasted for 18 years (from 1777 to 1795), and by tradition continues to be called the "Betsy Ross Flag".

A curious story happened to the same captain John Paul Jones in 1779. During a naval battle, he captured the British frigate Serapis, on which the flag was torn off and blown away by the wind.

When Jones brought her to the Dutch port of Texel for repairs, the frigate was declared pirated. It looked like a pirate ship - without a flag. And then, in order for the Dutch to believe that the ship belongs to the United States, Jones strained his memory and made a standard of 13 stripes and 13 stars. It turned out not very similar to the already accepted design, but that suited the Dutch. Since then, it has been called the "Flag of Serapis". Since those ancient times, the number of stars on the flag has changed 26 times. .

The next time this happened was in 1795, after the union of the states of Vermont and Kentucky. Assuming that this was already the end of the unification of the colonies, it was decided to increase the number of stripes and stars from 13 to 15, placing them horizontally on the roof in 5 rows, 3 in each. It was exactly like this, with 15 stars and stripes, that lawyer and poet Francis Scott Key saw him on September 13, 1814, during the shelling of Fort McHenry in Baltimore by British ships. Despite heavy shelling, the fort held out, and early the next morning, Francis saw that the US flag was still flying over it, and not the British Union Jack. Admired by the fortitude and courage of the defenders of the fort, he immediately wrote the poem "Defense of Fort McHenry". Her lines, set to music, were so loved by everyone that soon the song began to be used in the Navy, and on March 3, 1931, it was declared the national anthem.

“Look, do you see the first rays of the sun,
With what in the sunset hours did we say goodbye with our eyes?
Oh, tell me, he's alive, our striped flag,
The colors of the sky and the sun are our star banner? ...
Above the land of the free, home of the brave?

Since then it has been called Star Spangled Banne(Flag studded with stars). And in this form it existed until 1818. From that moment on, the number of states that joined the union began to increase, and Congress decided to return to the original 13 stripes, but the number of stars had to correspond to the number of states in a single union. On April 4, 1818, a law was passed, signed by President Monroe, which provided for a canvas flag with 13 stripes, and in the case of registration of a new state, from July 4, the addition of an additional star to the roof.

There is another American flag that has become famous under its own name. This is Old Glory(Old glory). It is believed that in 1831 Captain William Driver named the flag of his whaling ship "Charles Doggett" that way. It was badly battered by the sea winds, faded from the bright rays of the sun, but, nevertheless, the captain took it with him on voyages for many years and saved it from confiscation by the Confederate authorities during the civil war. After graduation, William hung the Old Glory flag on the spire of the Capitol in Tennessee. The Federation soldiers greeted him enthusiastically. Many newspapers wrote about this episode, and the flag soon became famous. Now the Old Glory, like the Star Spangled Flag, is kept at the National Museum of American History, in Washington, DC.

Flag of Old Glory (Old glory). Photo: depositphotos.com

In 1863, after the annexation of West Virginia, 35 stars appeared on the US flag. In fact, it was under this flag that the war between the North and the South ended.

And only in 1913, when the flag had already changed 24 times, and consisted of 48 stars, special documents and specifications were approved for the first time, regulating its proportions, sizes and color of the stripes. For example, it was then that the ratio of the height to the length of the flag was established, as 1: 1.9, etc. By that time, for almost 30 years, the question of the need for a special holiday had been debated in the country Stars and Stripes(Stars and Stripes), or "Birthday Flag". It was first initiated by ordinary schoolteachers B. J. Seagrand of Wisconsin and George Balch of New York. Then this idea was picked up in Philadelphia, New York and in the state of Chicago. In connection with the holding of such holidays in different states and parts of the country, in 1916 it was officially proclaimed by President Woodrow Wilson. And on August 3, 1949, now President Truman signed the Act of Congress, which finally approved the day of June 14 as flag day- National Flag Day. Since then, every year on this day, US residents decorate their homes with flags, thereby showing their patriotism. The flag, whose birthday then began to be celebrated, had already celebrated its 172nd anniversary by that time and, having been approved in 1912, would last until 1959. And since we have already started talking about patriotism, it should be noted here that it was under this flag that American soldiers went into battle during the First and Second World Wars. Therefore, here it is impossible not to mention the events of the American-Japanese war and the famous photograph "Raising the flag over Iwo Jima" ( Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima) taken on February 23, 1945 by war journalist and photographer Joseph Rosenthal.

It depicts five Marines and a US Navy corpsman raising the national flag atop Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima at the end of World War II. The capture of the island, where the Japanese airfields and air bases were located, was of major strategic importance for the Americans. After four days of fierce fighting, a Marine unit made its way to one of the volcanic peaks of the island of Iwo Jima and hoisted an American flag on it. This photograph, reprinted by thousands of newspapers and magazines, immediately gained incredible popularity. She later became the only one, in the year the frame was published, to win the Pulitzer Prize for Outstanding Photography. And in the United States, this image has become one of the most significant and recognizable images of the war, and the most reproduced in reproduction photographs of all time.

But back to our retrospective. In 1923, a special Flag Code appeared in the United States, regulating the rules and traditions of handling this symbol of the American state. In 1943, it received the status of a federal law. It reflects the rules for handling and hanging, both the flag itself and the half-mast, special days for hanging, indications of what is forbidden to do with the flag, as well as places for permanent hanging. It is curious that in addition to the most important public buildings in the country, it was also located at the South Pole, and on the surface of the moon. American flags were placed there by the astronauts of the Apollo 11, 12, 14, 15, 16 and 17 spacecraft. True, the flag set by the crew of Apollo 11 was overturned by the exhaust during the takeoff of the ship into lunar orbit, so there are now five American flags on the Moon.

Screenshot from the video posted on YouTube channel Cosmoknowledge

Now let's go back to 1958. At that time, the question of the possible admission of Alaska and Hawaii to the United States was widely debated in the country. But what should the wings of these flags look like if they were added? More than 1,500 proposals have been submitted to the US Congress, both 49 and 50 star flags. On this wave, a history teacher at a Lancaster, Ohio high school gave his students a homework assignment: come up with a flag design. One of them, 17-year-old Robert Heft ( Robert G. Heft), for the proposal he presented received a four with a minus. What was very dissatisfied. Having entered into a sharp polemic with the teacher, he received the corresponding answer: the grade can be changed only if the Congress approves his work. And then Robert not only sent his work to the competition, but also won it. So in 1960, after the annexation of Hawaii, the flag came out with its design, and exists in this form to this day. In recent years, however, there have been reports that the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and others are claiming the right to become 51 states. But their time has not yet come. And the new Robert Heft is probably just getting ready to go to school.

And in 1961, President John F. Kennedy signed a decree that from that moment on, the US national flag would also have to be displayed on the flagpole of the Marine Corps Memorial, and be there around the clock, for 24 hours a day. Along with such significant public buildings and services of the country as the White House, the Washington Monument, the Pennsylvania National Memorial Arch, state border crossings, etc. All this happened because the completion of the construction of this Memorial in 1954, near the walls of Arlington National Cemetery (in the suburbs of Washington), received a huge response, both domestically and abroad. In fact, he was the embodiment in bronze of the famous photograph of the journalist Joseph Rosenthal, already mentioned by us earlier, “Raising the flag over Iwo Jima”.

The fact is that the sculptor Felix de Velden, who then served in the US Navy, was so touched and delighted with this photograph that he immediately made several plaster copies of it and showed them to his superiors. This story ended with the fact that in the end, he was instructed to build a military memorial complex, representing six soldiers (H = 9.8 m.), Frozen in an incredible effort while hoisting a flag on a block of black granite (H = 4.5 m.), Resembling volcanic rock of the island of Iwo Jima. If we carefully look at the faces and frozen figures of these soldiers, we will see with what difficulty and determination, overcoming the wind at the top and the weight of the huge canvas, they, intercepting and passing the flagpole to each other, raise this flag higher and higher. And we understand that for them this is not just a Victory flag raised as a sign of the end of the battle, but something much more. It was hard to imagine that it was even possible to capture this impregnable island, but they did it. And they hoisted over him the star-striped flag of their country, for which they were ready to give their lives, to the last drop of blood. Three of them will remain on this earth forever, and the battle for Iwo Jima will be the bloodiest operation in the history of the US Marine Corps. “Incredible Valor was their common Dignity,” Admiral Chester Nimitz would say of them.

A slightly different view of the understanding of the role and significance of the national flag is presented at the Museum of Immigration on Ellis Island in New York Bay.

There was installed a huge, plastic, interactive panel "American flag in the faces", where every American (descendant of immigrants) can upload their photo. Approaching it from one side, you can only see the flag itself, but when you start moving along it, the faces of men, women and children of different ages and skin colors begin to appear on the panel. Thousands of faces of those who once arrived here as a foreigner. To eventually become an American. And when you come back, all the faces gradually merge and dissolve into the American flag. Because it doesn’t matter at all whether you were born under this flag, or stepped under its shadow later, you still become eternally faithful to it sooner or later. And you will be happy to realize that your children, like millions of their peers, will pronounce the oath of allegiance to the flag every day at school. And later, you yourself, having visited the international meeting of your favorite sports club, like thousands of fans in the stadium around you, at the very moment when the flag begins to rise and the anthem sounds, get up from your seat, raise your head to it and put your right hand to your heart. And this gesture is easily explained.

Photos Depositphotos

Remember how Y. Vizbor once sang:

"We will forever keep

In your heart, this land ... ".

And not only this country, which once accepted you or your relatives, you will forever keep in your heart. But also her anthem, which is also about the flag, and the flag itself, in front of which you now stand and hold your hand on your heart. Here he is on the flagpole. Stars and Stripes. Stars and Stripes American flag. One of the main symbols of the country.