American Flag: the Flag of the United States of America

The American flag is the national flag of the United States and was first accepted in the year 1777. The flag has been modified a maximum of 26 times to attain the current flag. It had just red and blue stripes without the current stars since the continental congress would not legally allow flags with the use of stars. The initial flag was known as the "Continental Colors" and was in use until George Preble renamed it to "Grand Union Flag" in 1872. Its design almost resembled that of the British East India Company, although they looked almost similar. The British East India Company flag was not allowed to be flown beyond the India Ocean. The first flag of the United States was first flown during a battle at Fort Schuyler on August 3, 1777.

History of the American flag

The very first American flag was designed by the chairperson of the continental navy boards in 1777, Francis Hopkinson. It was a simple design and was later modified in 1795 to have fifteen stripes instead of the original thirteen stripes. The two additional stripes were a representation of the newly incorporated states, Vermont and Kentucky. For quite a long time, the flag remained unchanged despite the fact that new states were admitted. It was thought that if changes were made according to the number of states they would cause too much clutter. Therefore, it remained a fifteen star and a fifteen-striped flag for some time before it was redesigned in 1818 to have thirteen stripes that represent the original colonies and twenty stars that were to be added whenever a new state was admitted.

Present-Day Flag

The present-day American flag was premeditated by a 17-year-old boy identified as Robert G. Heft. It was his high school project back in 1958 that gained a lot of popularity and was even accepted by the Congress. Robert’s design was chosen and approved by presidential proclamation and has since then been used as the American flag. Despite being modified different times, Heft takes the credit for designing the flag.

Symbolism of the Flag

The present flag of America comprises of horizontal stripes that are thirteen in number and red and blue in color. It also has a blue rectangle that accommodates white stars. The rectangle is referred to as the union. The fifty white stars is a representation of the fifty states of the United States of America while the thirteen stripes symbolize the thirteen original British colonies.

Uses of the Flag

The flag was initially used to serve as a military ensign or a way of marking the American territory. It could not be that easy to see an American flag fly anywhere. However, these days the flag can be easily noticed flying high in the churches, at homes, storefronts, in colleges, and in different parastatals around the country. The flag is used to serve as a constant reminder of the freedoms and rights that the people of America have. Thus, every citizen should accord it the full respect it deserves whenever they see the American flag being flown.