The first American flag was created in 1775. Known as the continental colors the flag was the first for the early country known as the United States. The problem was that it looked very much like the British flag that they once belonged to. In 1777 the Continental Congress agreed that the flag should have 13 stripes alternating red and white stripes. In the corner of the flag there should be 13 white stars and the background be blue. Thus the new flag would represent the new country.
Later in 1916 the then President Woodrow Wilson issued a decree to celebrate each June 14th as Flag Day. Some say that flag day occurred earlier when a school teacher Bernard J. Cigrand in Wisconsin began a celebration for the flag in 1885 by instructing students to write essays about the flag. Perhaps many of us need to know about the purpose and meaning of the flag
Did you Know:
- The flag is normally raised in the morning and taken down in sunset
- the flag should not be flown at night if a light is not shining on it.
- do not fly the flag in stormy weather
- the flag is flown at half staff for 30 days following a death or tragedy
- The American flag is always above any other flag on the pole
- The flag should never touch the ground
- Never let your flag touch the ground, never...period.
- The flag should be folded when not displayed
- Old flags should be burned or buried and never thrown in trash
