![]() Another early flag had a rattlesnake and the motto "Don't Tread on Me".Īn anonymous letter, written January 2, 1776, says: "The grand union flag of thirteen stripes was raised on a height near Boston. The flag had 13 alternating red and white horizontal stripes and the British Union Flag (a predecessor of the Union Jack) in the canton (the upper left-hand corner). Washington ordered the Grand Union flag hoisted above his base at Prospect Hill. On that New Year's Day, the Continental Army was laying siege to Boston which had been taken over by the British Army. The first unofficial national flag, called the Grand Union Flag or the Continental Colours, was raised at the behest of General Washington near his headquarters outside Boston, Massachusetts, on Januover the Cambridge camp when the Continental Army was reorganized in accordance with a Congressional resolution, which placed American forces under George Washington's control. In the heraldic language of England, the star has six points in the heraldry of Holland, France and Germany, the star is five-pointed. While there is a wonderful story about Betsy Ross favoring a five pointed star because of it's ease in construction (see further on), the answer is, that the designers of our early coins followed the English, and the designer of our flag the European custom. It has been asked why the stars on our banner are five-pointed while, historically, those on our coins have been six-pointed. Neither Congressional records nor the public and private voluminous correspondence or diaries of the time refer to the creation of the stars. It will probably never be known who designed our union of stars. The daily view of these distinguishing marks of rank would naturally represent the United Colonies. The continental army of 1775 was without uniforms, and cloths of a stripe or ribbon distinguished the different grades. While not known with great certainty, it has been suggested that the origin of the stripes came from the ragtag Continental soldiers. This symbolized the union of the thirteen colonies against the tyranny and oppression of Great Britain. The result was the retention of the union jack (king's colors) representing the still-recognized sovereignty of England, but coupled to thirteen stripes, alternating red and white in place of the loyal red ensign. ![]() ![]() Harrison, convening at the camp at Cambridge, were appointed to consider the subject. We are fitting out two vessels at Plymouth and when I next hear from you on this subject, I will let them know them know the flag and the signal, that we may distinguish our friends from our foes'.ĭr. This is the flag of our floating batteries. ![]() What do you think of a flag with a white ground, a tree in the middle, the motto, "Appeal to Heaven". Two days later on October 20, 1775, Washington writes to Colonel Glover and Stephen Moyland, "Please fix upon some particular flag, and a signal by which our vessels may know one another. Ships are reported to have been sent to sea under the pine-tree flag or possibly hoisted the colors of their originating State. The first legislation of the Continental Congress, on October 18, 1775, established a Federal navy, but, as far as is known, without a national ensign. The colors of the flag are symbolic as well: Red symbolizes Hardiness and Valor, White symbolizes Purity and Innocence and Blue represents Vigilance, Perseverance and Justice. The stars represent the 50 states of the Union. Today the American flag consists of thirteen horizontal stripes seven red stripes alternating with six white stripes representing the original 13 colonies.
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