| If you are an American and grew up attending | | | | |
| school in the United States, you were taught | | | | - The Field - Blue for vigilance, |
| the lesson of how Betsy Ross sewed together | | | | perseverance and justice |
| the first American flag in 1776. But how many | | | | |
| recall exactly what the stripes, the stars | | | | - The Star - "...a symbol of the heavens |
| and the colors represent? | | | | and the divine goal to which man has aspired |
| | | | from time immemorial; the stripe is symbolic |
| Believe it or not, the colors red, white, and | | | | of the rays of light emanating from the sun." |
| blue didn't have any significance when the | | | | |
| flag was adopted in 1777. The Continental | | | | In 1777, the number of stripes was |
| Congress actually passed a resolution on July | | | | congressionally mandated to stand at thirteen |
| 4, 1776 which authorized a committee to come | | | | to represent the original thirteen colonies, |
| up with a seal for the United States of | | | | however, designs throughout America still |
| America. That committee was instructed to | | | | varied greatly. A hero of the War of 1812 and |
| create a design that reflected the Founding | | | | Naval Officer named Samuel Chester Reid got |
| Fathers' beliefs of values and independence | | | | together with New York Congressman Peter H. |
| for the new Nation. It wasn't until the seal | | | | Wendover in 1818 and initiated a bill to |
| was completed and approved on June 20, 1782 | | | | establish uniformity for the design of the |
| that the national colors and symbols on the | | | | American flag. Samuel Reid was the person who |
| American flag had any defined meaning. The | | | | actually suggested that stars be added as new |
| explanation for the flag's design, taken from | | | | states were admitted into the Union. That |
| a book written by the House of | | | | bill was passed on April 4, 1818. |
| Representatives during that time, is as | | | | |
| follows: | | | | Over the years, there have been twenty-seven |
| | | | versions of the flag. The current design |
| - The Stripes - White to denote purity and | | | | dates to July 4, 1960, when Hawaii became the |
| innocence - Red to represent hardiness and | | | | United States of America's 50th state. |
| valor | | | | |