| On that historic day, the flag of the United | | | | stars would be arranged and all flags must |
| States of America came into existence and | | | | agree with the Presidential proclamation. New |
| this form remains unchanged to the present | | | | states were constantly being admitted to the |
| day. Just who designed the first flag or who | | | | Union and the United States had thirteen |
| made it is a question still debated by | | | | national flags between 1817 and 1861. During |
| historians. Some believe that Betsy Ross | | | | the Civil War, we had another two flags with |
| designed the first flag, although claims have | | | | the admission of Kansas and West Virginia. |
| also been made that Francis Hopkinson, a | | | | Union troops fought under a 33-star flag |
| Congressman, designed and made the first | | | | during the first three months of the war; a |
| flag. Historical records do show that Betsy | | | | 34-star flag until 1863; and a 35-star flag |
| Ross made flags for the government in 1777, | | | | until the end of the war. President Lincoln |
| but whether she made the first United States | | | | refused to take out the stars of the southern |
| flag will probably always remain in doubt. In | | | | states which had seceded. After the war had |
| 1782, the Congress of the confederation | | | | ended, the nation began to move west. |
| reaffirmed the choice of the Continental | | | | Nebraska joined the Union in 1867; followed |
| Congress by stating that the national seal | | | | in 1877 by Colorado; 1890 by North Dakota, |
| and the flag would remain red, white and | | | | South Dakota, Montana, Washington and Idaho; |
| blue. Deeper meaning was also given to the | | | | 1891 by Wyoming; 1896 by Utah; and 1908 by |
| flag and its design. The thirteen original | | | | Oklahoma. During this period of transition in |
| states would always be represented by the | | | | the country, we had six more national flags. |
| seven red stripes and the six white ones. | | | | The twenty-third flag, adopted in 1896, was |
| However, they left open the question of how | | | | the flag that we fought under during the |
| the stars on the blue union would be | | | | Spanish-American War in 1898. In 1912, |
| arranged. In 1777, Congress had not specified | | | | Arizona and New Mexico were admitted to the |
| any particular design for the arrangement of | | | | Union and thus the United States needed |
| the stars and some flags had thirteen stars | | | | another new flag. This was the twenty-fifth |
| in a circle. Others had twelve in a circle | | | | flag, adopted in 1912, and which lasted until |
| with the thirteenth in the center. By 1782 | | | | 1959. The total of 47 years that this flag |
| though, almost all the national flags had the | | | | flew over the nation represents the longest |
| thirteen stars in a circle. In 1794, Vermont | | | | period of duration of any one flag of the |
| and Kentucky were admitted to the Union | | | | United States. This flag was carried to the |
| bringing the number of states to fifteen. | | | | battlefields of World War I and World War II, |
| Congress ordered that all new flags would | | | | as well as the Korean War. In 1959, Alaska |
| carry fifteen stars and fifteen stripes, and | | | | was admitted as the 49th state of the Union. |
| that a star and a stripe would be added as | | | | The 49-star flag, adopted in 1959, was raised |
| each new state joined the Union. This would | | | | at 12:01 a.m. on July 4th, 1959, over Ft. |
| later prove to be too cumbersome and would | | | | McHenry to signal the official admittance of |
| soon be abandoned. This flag, with its | | | | Alaska. This flag lasted but a short while |
| fifteen stars and fifteen stripes, is the | | | | for on July 4th, 1960, the United States |
| flag Americans carried in the War of 1812. By | | | | raised the present 50-star flag signaling the |
| 1817, The Union was expanded by five more | | | | admission of Hawaii as our 50th and last |
| states: Tennessee, Ohio, Louisiana, Indiana | | | | state. To date, we have had twenty-seven |
| and Mississippi. This expansion meant a new | | | | national flags, and they have all flown in |
| flag. Samuel C. Reid, a navy captain, | | | | glory over this great nation, the United |
| redesigned the flag using the original | | | | States.27 Flags of the United States1st US |
| thirteen stripes and adding a star for each | | | | Flag 1777-1795 |
| of the twenty states. This idea was proposed | | | | |
| to Congress by Peter Wendover, a | | | | The Betsy Ross Flag. To this day, the actual |
| representative from New York. It was passed | | | | maker of this flag remains unknown. This |
| as the New Flag Act, and the date was set as | | | | almost casually constructed national emblem |
| July 4th next after a new state had been | | | | incorporated the unchanging design of |
| admitted to the Union as the day on which a | | | | thirteen stripes with a thirteen-star union. |
| new flag would be flown. Congress again left | | | | Although this claim is seriously in doubt, |
| open the question of how the stars might be | | | | Betsy Ross, a Philadelphia seamstress, is |
| arranged, so the design was left to | | | | said to have made the first American flag. |
| individual flag makers. In later years, the | | | | This claim was first made by William J. |
| President has usually proclaimed how the | | | | Canby, her grandson, in 1870. |