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A Brief History of the United States Flag
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Even before the American
Revolution, flags bearing the familiar red and white stripes, which
symbolize the unity of the original 13 colonies of America, began to appear. |
These
stripes were later combined with the British Union Jack to produce the
Continental flag that flew over George Washington's headquarters during
the siege of Boston.
Almost a year passed after the Declaration of Independence was signed before a
new flag was adopted by the Congress. But variations in the flag were
persistent, and changes continued during much of the 19th century. The Flag Act
of 1818 fixed the number of horizontal stripes at 13, and gave the President the
authority to determine the star arrangement. The now-familiar stars and stripes
were not carried into battle by the United States Army until the Mexican War.
Finally, in 1912, an executive order was established which defined the design of
the flag, including the star arrangement. Later, when Alaska and Hawaii entered
the Union, stars representing those states were added to the flag, adapting the
traditional horizontal arrangement. |
| American involvement in the Spanish-American War, World War I, and World War II
stimulated patriotic sentiments and interest in the flag. In 1942, Congress
established rules and customs concerning the flag and the Pledge of Allegiance. |
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| The years since World War II have seen the refinement of various laws and
regulations concerning the flag. Today, it has become an accepted part of the
decoration of most public buildings and a symbol regarded as appropriate to
almost any setting where citizens gather.
Source: http://frist.senate.gov/flag-etiquette.cfm |
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