According to popular legend, the first American flag was made by Betsy Ross, a Philadelphia seamstress who was acquainted with George Washington, leader of the Continental Army, and other influential Philadelphians. In May 1776, so the story goes, General Washington and two representatives from the Continental Congress visited Ross at her upholstery shop and showed her a rough design of the flag. Although Washington initially favored using a star with six points, Ross advocated for a five-pointed star, which could be cut with just one quick snip of the scissors, and the gentlemen were won over.
Unfortunately, historians have never been able to verify this charming version of events, although it is known that Ross made flags for the navy of Pennsylvania. The story of Washington's visit to the flagmaker became popular about the time of the country's first centennial, after William Canby, a grandson of Ross, told about her role in shaping U.S. history in a speech given at the Philadelphia Historical Society in March 1870.
What is known is that the first unofficial national flag, called the Grand Union Flag or the Continental Colours, was raised at the behest of General Washington near his headquarters outside Boston, Mass., on Jan. 1, 1776. The flag had 13 alternating red and white horizontal stripes and the British Union Flag (a predecessor of the Union Jack) in the canton. Another early flag had a rattlesnake and the motto Don't Tread on Me.
The first official national flag, also known as the Stars and Stripes, was approved by the Continental Congress on June 14, 1777. The blue canton contained 13 stars, representing the original 13 colonies, but the layout varied. Although nobody knows for sure who designed the flag, it may have been Continental Congress member Francis Hopkinson.
After Vermont and Kentucky were admitted to the Union in 1791 and 1792, respectively, two more stars and two more stripes were added in 1795. This 15-star, 15-stripe flag was the star-spangled banner that inspired lawyer Francis Scott Key to write the poem that later became the U.S. national anthem.
In 1818, after five more states had gained admittance, Congress passed legislation fixing the number of stripes at 13 and requiring that the number of stars equal the number of states. The last new star, bringing the total to 50, was added on July 4, 1960, after Hawaii became a state.
Shortly after in the late 60s flag burning became a standard for anyone trying to fight the new oppressing government. In the mid 70s, laws were going into effect about flag burning every six months. Even though the flag itself stood for freedom and independence from oppression,somehow those living under it were taking the very freedoms away to protect only the flag rather then what it stood for. Throughout it all, the flag still stood strong.
In the 1980s the American flag became the strongest symbol of power worldwide. While the Government in which resided under it threw itself secretly into just about every government worldwide with the intent to control,,,, um,,,, rather free, those countries from their own oppression, in the name of safety and democracy. This quickly led to the fall of the country, and symbol of anti-freedom. The U.S.S.R.
In the mid 90s the American flag took a rather unusual turn of events. With the fall of the Soviet Union, the government in which the American flag flew over began encompassing and dictating policy through economic threats and payoffs. This started a nasty chain of events where the citizens of other countries were having a hard time distinguishing the difference between 1940 Germany liberation and American democracy.This lead to a record breaking sales of American flags world wide since the number of counties that required them for local flag burning protest was at a record high level. And since everything must be NEWS/TV worthy, a simple cardboard and marker flag just wasnt acceptable anymore. This made the American flag good business Meanwhile, back on the motherland the United State, through heavy doctrine, set new policy and priority as to what the flag was all about. The symbol of the American flag was now about pride. And like any good business, the best way to make business grow is to make sure that anyone who is anyone, has one. So the market for American flags exploded. On cars, trucks, lawns, windows, pictures, wallpapers, and paintings on side of buildings.
By the early 2000s enough laws have been passed to where, (other then BUYING a American flag), you could not celebrate your freedom. Fireworks are just about completely illegal, doing anything to the flag (other then buying it), is completely illegal, talking about what the flag stood for compared to what it does now is completely illegal due to a patriot act, and the only way you can show it off is if you put it on your car/truck while you are by law restricted to a speed, attitude, while mandated to be STRAPPED in (for your OWN good), not smoking, talking on cell, or doing anything else other then driving, and at certain times of the day in certain places withno drinking, and proof that you are paying large sums of money to other companies, (insurance), in the name of safety!
In 2007 you have to give the flag credit. No other symbol has taken so much abuse, by so many people, for so many different reasons. No other symbol has stood for such a good thing (in concept) and has turned into a brain-washing farce that only the people that live directly under it can actually look at it and be proud despite the hypocrisy in which the land it stands on, lives.
How can people hate the American flag? Clue - its not the freedom it stood for!
