On this day 246 years ago, the Continental Congress approved the iconic design for what would become the United States national flag. The flag consisted of thirteen alternating red and blue stripes and thirteen stars to represent the number of American states.
Many attribute the flag’s design to Betsy Ross, an American icon who worked to repair military uniforms and sew tents during the Revolutionary War. However, scholarly evidence suggests that a man named Francis Hopkinson was the true designer of the American flag. Hopkinson was a delegate from New Jersey who signed the Declaration of Independence and is also credited with designing continental paper money.
In the years after 1777, many Americans held patriotic ceremonies on June 14 to commemorate the anniversary of the flag’s creation. Bernard J. Cigrand, a Wisconsin schoolteacher, was one of the most prominent Flag Day proponents. Cigrand urged Congress to declare June 14 as a national holiday to celebrate the iconic stars & stripes.
While Cigrand was not successful in creating a federal holiday, Flag Day gradually became more widely celebrated. Then, in 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation asking for June 14 to be observed as National Flag Day. Eleven years later, President Calvin Coolidge issued a similar proclamation. Finally, in 1949, Congress officially established the date as Flag Day. While not a federal holiday, June 14 is now widely celebrated as a day for Americans to fly flags and display their patriotism.
As we celebrate the anniversary of the adoption of our flag, we encourage all Americans to understand the history of the United States. If you are interested in learning more about America’s founding and how our democracy came to be, we encourage you to download our free app.
Happy Learning!
The Civicly Team
