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Flag of the United States
The American flag (less commonly referred to as the US flag, 'Old Glory', 'The Stars and Stripes' or 'The Star Spangled Banner') is the national flag of the United States of America. The flag has 13 red and white stripes, which represent the original 13 colonies that fought in the American Revolution, and 50 stars to represent the fifty US states. Questions about the American flag can be directed here.
1,225 Questions
How did the American Flag come to be?
It is the symbol of our liberty and freedom..It stands for the blood and tears of our people, the many lives lost to pay for that freedom, and the beacon of Hope and Liberty to the rest of the world.
It also stands for the blood and tears of Iraqi children.
Why do we fly the American flag?
If we is Americans, we fly it as a national pride and to respect all those who lost their lives to defend what the flag stands for; freedom and democracy.
How many times is the American flag folded?
I don’t remember if there is a set number of times you’re supposed to fold it or not. When I’m folding into triangles, I just kept folding until I tuck the tail in, and just made sure that the stars show all around. You can probably just find a video though.
Why are there so many stars on the American flag?
They aren't in a circle. They have not been in a circle on the official flag for I don't know how long probably 120 years or so.
What do the colors of the United States flag mean?
The color red on the US Flag stands for valor, hardiness. The color blue on the flag stands for justice and even a reference to God. The color white stands for purity.
Why is the American flag not flown at night?
the reason why we have to light the American flag is because people who comes from another country has to know what flag we represent and also because our flags mean different things and we need to respect our flag at all times.
How has the American flag changed over time?
Not much change except for the number of stars and their placement. Original US flag had 13 stripes (as it still does) and 13 stars. A star was added for each State that joined the Union, and the placement of the stars changed patterns as necessary for uniformity. In 1795 when Vermont and Kentucky were admitted to the U.S. our flag had 15 stars AND 15 stripes, alternating red and white. This flag is known as the "Star Spangled Banner." Then in 1818 the flag returned to 13 stripes and 20 stars for 20 states. Since then it has remained the same with 13 alternating red and white stripes with the addition of stars for each new state.
Who created the American flag design?
We do not know who designed the first American flag.
There have been many historians who have researched this question, and none has been able to come up with a definitive answer. The idea that Betsy Ross designed the flag seems to have appeared for the first time at about the time of the Centenary Celebrations, in 1876, a hundred years after the flag first appeared.
There are many people who have been suggested as the first designer, but there is no hard historical evidence to support any of them. The first description of the design came from the Maritime Committee of the Second Continental Congress, in 1777, but this seems to have been a formal adoption of an already extant design from an unknown source.
- On June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress, on a motion from John Adams, adopted the stars and stripes as the national flag. History leaves its students with very few clues as to who designed and created the original flag, but it has been long attributed to the Philadelphia seamstress and upholsterer. So widely accepted is the story of this legendary flagmaker, the United States government issued a commemorative postage stamp in 1952 in celebration of the two hundredth anniversary of her birth.
- Betsy Ross did NOT make the first flag of the United States of America.
- Mary Pickersgill made the large flag that flew over Fort McHenry in Baltimore Harbor during the War of 1812. This 15-star, 15-stripe flag is the one that Francis Scott Key saw on the morning of September 14, 1814 after an all night British bombardment. He penned the poem "In Defense of Fort McHenry" which later became our National Anthem. This "Star Spangled Banner" is on display in the Smithsonian institution Museum in Washington, DC. - the original flag from the Battle of Baltimore in the War of 1812.
- A technicality: Our flag is NOT the "American flag"... it is the flag of the United States of America. All of the countries in North America, Central America, and South America have their own national flags. They too would be "American flags."
What do the colors on the American Flag symbolize?
The stripes represent the thirteen colonies that first founded the United States. They are colored red and white alternately. The stars represent the number of states.
The actual colors (red/white/blue) have no official meaning.
What are 3 rules about flying the American Flag?
There are a number of rules for handling the flag including not hanging it out in bad weather, not leaving it out in the dark without proper lighting, not wearing it as clothing, not draping it over your car, not using it in advertising, etc. A complete list can be found at http://www.ushistory.org/betsy/flagetiq.html
How many stars were on the American flag in 1850?
The First Star Spangled Banner from 1795- 1818 had 15 stars, 8 red stripes, 7 white stripes. This was the only flag that had 15 stripes. In 1818 congress changed this so the stripes would remain 13 representing the first 13 colonies. There were 13 colonies: Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Virginia, New york, North Carolina, and Rhode Island. In 1795, two stars were added, representing Kentucky and Vermont. This 15 star flag flew over Fort McHenry during the War of 1812 and inspired the writing of the National Anthem, "The Star Spangled Banner. Note: The original 13 states gave way to 18 present-day states: Vermont (which had been disputed between New Hampshire and New York and which was an independent republic from 1777 to 1791), Kentucky ( formerly part of Virginia until 1792), Tennessee (formerly part of North Carolina until 1796), Maine (formerly part of Massachusetts until 1820) and West Virginia (also formerly part of Virginia until 1863).
How many stripes go completely across the American flag?
There are 13 stripes on the flag of the United States of America. Six white and 7 red stripes. However, from 1795 to 1818 our national flag had 15 stars and 15 stripes representing the 15 states of the USA at the time.
What is the meaning of the red stripes on the American flag?
The colors of the US flag came from the colors of the British flag. The resolution that created the flag in 1777 did not say anything about the symbolism of the colors.
When the Great Seal of the United States was adopted in 1782, the explanation of the seal said:
"The colours of the pales are those used in the flag of the United States of America; White signifies purity and innocence, Red, hardiness & valor, and Blue, the colour of the Chief signifies vigilance, perseverance & justice."
However, this was an after-the-fact explanation, because the flag had already existed for 5 years before it was written.
What are important facts about the American flag?
The 13 stripes represent the 13 original colonies of the US: Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Virginia. The 50 stars represent the individual states that make up the nation. Popular history states the red of the flag represents valor, white stands for liberty or purity and blue represents justice, loyalty and perseverance. These meanings are unofficial though. (World Flags 101)
Did Neil Armstrong leave the American flag on the moon?
No, he needed his boot to keep his spacesuit sealed.
The astronauts did, indeed, leave a lot of stuff on the moon, including their backpacks (known as the PLSS, or Personal Life Support System). The only way the astronauts could throw stuff out of the Lunar lander was to open the door. They were able to toss their PLSS's because, after their final EVA they hooked their suits into the Life Support systems aboard the lunar lander. However, they did not carry extra boots, and if Neil hadn't had his boot connected to his suit when they opened the door of the LM to the vacuum of the moon he would have died.
How many white Americans are there?
More than any person can count, there are babies being born every day, every hour, every minute, there's no way some one can keep counting, whose got brown, black, blue, or hazel eyes.
Who is the character in an American flag shirt in Forrest gump?
Abbie Hoffman, a real-life antiwar protester is the character who is wearing the American flag shirt and speaks at the rally in Washington, D.C., in the movie, Forrest Gump (1994). The part is played by Richard D'Alessandro.
The Parthenon was not originally white. In the early 19th century art historians first proposed that the Parthenon, along with all ancient Greek structures were actually painted. The term for this is "polychromy." It has taken a long time for scholars to accept that this building was painted because of preconceived notions about the architectural purity of Greek buildings. However, close observation and modern scientific analysis have proven that the Parthenon was in fact originally painted several different hues including blue, gold, and red. The University of Iowa has done a computer generated model of what the temple may have looked like with its paint in tact.
How does the American flag represent strength and unity?
Stars are the 50 states and the Stripes represent the 13 original colonies.
The stripes mean the 1st 13 STATES. some people say they represent the the 13 colonies, but they are wrong. If you think about it, the 13 colonies were ruled by Britan and why would we want to put something British on the American flag? We were trying to break free from british rule so we wouldn't want to put something British on the U.S. flag. The red stripes mean courage and the white mean bravery. THE RED DOESN'T MEAN BLOOD AT ALL!
How many stars does the American flag have?
There is no single American flag. Each country in America, both north and south, has its own flag.
Some have stars others do not.
Should you be referring to the US flag then there are 50 stars presently.
There are 50 stars on the current flag of the United States of America - one star for each state in the U.S.A. While "America" is commonly thought to describe the United States of America it is technically inaccurate. The American continent includes North America, Central America, and South America. Each of these Americas include a number of countries. For example North America includes Canada, the United States, and Mexico. Each country on the American continent has a different national flag.
Read more: How_many_stars_are_on_an_American_flag
How many strips are on the flag?
There are 13 stripes on the American Flag representing the 13 states that were founded when settlers first came to America.
