| It was on January 1, 1776 that the Continental army | | | | who actually designed and made this flag. It is said that |
| was restructured and adjusted according to a | | | | it was Francis Hopkinson, a Continental Congress |
| Congressional resolution which heralded American | | | | member, designed the flag. |
| forces to the command of George Washington. On | | | | However, between 1777 and 1960, the Congress |
| that day, the American Continental Army was | | | | implemented procedures that varied its shape, design |
| blockading Boston which had been taken over by the | | | | and structure of the flag. And it was decided that |
| British army. It has been said that the first American | | | | there was a need for additional starts to represent all |
| flag was made in May of 1776 by Betsy Ross, a | | | | the states of America. It was on January 3, 1959 that |
| Philadelphia seamstress who was actually a friend of | | | | President Eisenhower issued an executive order which |
| George Washington and acquainted with other | | | | states that the arrangement of the stars should be in |
| prominent and high-ranking Philadelphians. | | | | six horizontal rows of eight, each single point of every |
| Ross suggested that the five-pointed star be used | | | | star directed upward. In 1791 and 1792, after Kentucky |
| instead of the star with six points. This is because the | | | | and Vermont were added to the Union, two stars and |
| five-pointed star can be cut off easily with a few trims | | | | two stripes were added during 1795. |
| of the scissors. It is also said that Betsy Ross was the | | | | This brought inspiration to lawyer Francis Scott Key to |
| one who made the flags for the Pennsylvanian navy. | | | | write and compose a poem which later became the |
| However, the first unofficial flag of America was called | | | | U.S. National Anthem. It was in 1818 that five more |
| the Grand Union Flag, also known as the Continental | | | | states had been added and declared and the |
| Colors. It was raised at the order and command of | | | | Congress decided to pass legislation that fixes the |
| General Washington close to his headquarters outside | | | | number of stars and stripes. The stars would have |
| Boston January 1, 1776. This first unofficial flag was | | | | equal numbers as the states. On July 4, 1960, the last |
| composed of thirteen alternating white and red | | | | new star was added after Hawaii became a state, |
| horizontal stripes, with the British Union Flag in the | | | | which gives a total number of fifty stars. The |
| canton. However, the first official American flag was | | | | American Flag has been the emblem of the nation's |
| accepted by the Continental Congress on June 14, | | | | power and harmony for more than 200 years. It |
| 1777. This flag was also known as the Stars and | | | | serves as the binding material that brings millions of |
| Stripes for it consisted of 13 stars which represented | | | | citizens together in attaining one goal. |
| the first 13 colonies. However, there is no assurance of | | | | |