The First Official United States Flag:
This 13-Star Flag became the Official United States Flag on June14th, 1777 and is the result of the
congressional action that took place on that date. Much evidence exists pointing to Congressman Francis
Hopkinson as the person responsible for its design. The only President to serve under this flag was George
Washington (1789-1797). This Flag was to last for a period of 18 years. Each star and stripe represented a
Colony of which there were thirteen, united nearly one year earlier by the Declaration of Independence. 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 thirteen Colonies are listed below
with the date that each ratified the Constitution and became a State.
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(1st) DELAWARE - December 7th, 1787
(2nd) PENNSYLVANIA - December 12th,1787
(3rd) NEW JERSEY - December18th, 1787
(4th) GEORGIA - January 2nd, 1788
(5th) CONNECTICUT - January 9th, 1788
(6th) MASSACHUSETTS - February 6th, 1788
(7th) MARYLAND - April 28th, 1788
(8th) SOUTH CAROLINA - May 23rd, 1788
(9th) NEW HAMPSHIRE - June 21st, 1788
(10th) VIRGINIA - June 25th, 1788
(11th) NEW YORK - July 25th, 1788
(12th) NORTH CAROLINA - November 21st, 1789
(13th) RHODE ISLAND - May 29th, 1790
No one knows with absolute certainty who designed the first stars and stripes or who made it.
Congressman Francis Hopkinson seems most likely to have designed it, and few historians believe that
Betsy Ross, a Philadelphia seamstress, made the first one.
Until the Executive Order of June 24, 1912, neither the order of the stars nor the proportions of the flag
was prescribed. Consequently, flags dating before this period sometimes show unusual arrangements of the
stars and odd proportions, these features being left to the discretion of the flag maker. In general, however,
straight rows of stars and proportions similar to those later adopted officially were used.
On June 14, 1777, in order to establish an official flag for the new nation, the Continental Congress
passed the first Flag Act: "Resolved, That the flag of the United States be made of thirteen stripes, alternate
red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation."
The most common historical flags of the American Revolution
are represented on the following pages in alphabetical order.
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Bedford Flag
This flag was present at the battle of Concord in April 19, 1775. It
was carried by Nathaniel Page, a Bedford Minuteman. The Latin
inscription "Vince Aut Morire" means "Conquer or Die". The arm
emerging from the clouds represents the arm of God. The original
can be seen at the Bedford Town Library.
Bennington (“Vermont”)
This flag flew over the military stores in Bennington, Vermont, on
August 16, 1777. The American militia led by General John Stark,
defeated a large British raiding force, thus protecting the military
supplies at Bennington. Note that this flag begins with a white stripe.
Betsy Ross (“First Stars & Stripes”)
This flag was adopted June 14, 1777 (Flag Day). The Continental
Congress on this day resolved, "That the flag of the United States be
thirteen stripes alternating red and white; that the Union be thirteen
stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation". The
circular design was by George Washington, Francis Hopkins and
Betsy Ross. The Congress however did not specify an arrangement
for the stars in the canton, as a result there are many variations in
the flags that followed until 1912.
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British Red Ensign (“Colonial Red Ensign”)
The best known of the British Maritime flags, or Ensigns, which were
formed by placing the Union flag in the canton of another flag
having a field of white, blue or red. This flag is also known as the
Meteor flag, and was widely used on ships during the Colonial
period. This was the first National flag of the United States.
British Union Jack (“Kings Colors”)
This flag design was created by King James VI of Scotland when he
became King of England in 1603. It was created by combining
England's red cross of ST. George with Scotland's white cross of ST.
Andrew. This was the flag that flew above all the early English
settlements in the new world. It was the most commonly used flag in
the English colonies until the beginning of the Revolutionary War in
1775.
Bunker Hill
On the night of June 16-17, 1775, the Americans fortified Breed's
and Bunker Hills overlooking Boston Harbor. Although they had not
officially declared their independence, a fight was underway. When
the British advanced up the slope the next day they saw an early New
England flag, possibly a red or blue banner. Many early Colonial
flags had been made by altering the English flag and most still
contained a reference to the mother country. This was an example
that the Colonists still saw themselves as British subjects but were
declaring their right to be free from violation of their liberties.
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Continental
This flag uses a version of the British Red Ensign or Meteor flag with
a green New England Pine tree substituted for the Union flag in the
canton. The Continental flag is believed to have been carried at the
Battle of Bunker Hill.
Cowpens (“Third Maryland Regiment”)
The Cowpens was first carried by the Third Maryland Regiment
which was part of the Continental line of Maryland, Virginia and
Georgia regiments. On January 17th, 1781, General Daniel Morgan
won a decisive victory against the British at Cowpens, South
Carolina. The original flag is enshrined in the State house in
Annapolis, Maryland.
Culpeper
This flag represented a group of about one hundred minutemen from
Culpeper, Virginia. The group formed part of Colonel Patrick
Henry's First Virginia Regiment of 1775. In October-November 1775
three hundred such minutemen, led by Colonel Stevens, assembled at
Culpeper Court House and marched for Williamsburg. Their unusual
dress alarmed the people as they marched through the country. The
word "LIBERTY OR DEATH" were in large white letters on the
breast of their hunting shirts. They had bucks' tails in their hats and
in their belts, tomahawks and scalping knives.
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First Navy Jack (“Continental Navy Jack”)
This flag is believed to have flown aboard the Continental Fleet's
flagship Alfred, in January, 1776. Commodore Esek Hopkins raised
this flag to signal his fleet to attack the enemy.
Today, the only US Navy ship authorized to fly this flag is the aircraft
carrier, U.S.S. Kitty Hawk.
Fort Moultrie
Version 1
Version 2
This flag was carried by Colonel William Moultrie's South Carolina Militia on Sullivan Island in Charleston
Harbor on June 28, 1776. The British were defeated that day which saved the south from British occupation
for another two years.
Some versions of this flag have the word "LIBERTY" in the crescent moon. The South Carolina state flag
still contains the crescent moon from this Revolutionary flag.
Gadsden
This flag was first used by Commodore Esek Hopkins, the first
Commander in Chief of the New Continental Fleet, when his ships
put to sea for the first time in February, 1776. Flags with the symbol
of the rattlesnake were very popular in Rhode Island at this time.
Colonel Christopher Gadsden of South Carolina copied this flag and
presented it to the Continental Congress.
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George Washington's Flag Commander-In-Chief Flag
This flag was flown by General Washington during his winter
encampment at Valley Forge. General Washington had a personal
protection guard called the "Life Guard". It consisted of a few hand
picked men from each colony and this special guard carried these
colors. It has been suggested that these colors may have been the
origin of the field of stars in our stars and stripes flag.
Grand Union (“Continental Colors”)
This flag was never officially sanctioned by the Continental Congress
but is considered the first flag of the United States and was in use
from late 1775 until mid 1777. This flag was an alteration of the
British Meteor flag. In its blue canton was the red cross of ST.
George and the white cross of ST. Andrew. The thirteen stripes
signified the original colonies. Retaining the British Union in the
canton indicated a continued loyalty, as the Americans saw it, to the
constitutional government against which they fought. On January
1,1776, this flag was first raised on Prospect Hill (then called MT.
Pisgah), in Somerville, Massachusetts. At this time the Continental army came into formal existence. At the
time it was known as the continental colors because it represented the entire nation. In one of Washington's
letters he referred to it as the "Great Union Flag" and it is most commonly called the Grand Union today.
Green Mountain Boys
On August 16, 1777 the "Green Mountain Boys" fought under
General Stark at the Battle of Bennington. Its green field represented
their name and the thirteen white stars a tribute to the thirteen
colonies. A notable victory of the Green Mountain Boys under Ethan
Allen, occurred on the morning of May 10, 1775, when they silently
invaded the British held Fort Ticonderoga and demanded its
surrender "In the name of the great Jehovah and the Continental
Congress". The captured cannon and mortars were transported
across the snow covered mountains of New England and their
installation on the heights over Boston Harbor enabled Washington to force the British to leave that
important seaport.
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Guilford Courthouse
This flag is an example of the lack of uniformity in American flags
during the Revolutionary period as each group chose what flag to be
used as its standard. This flag has the unique elements of an
elongated canton and blue stripes. It was raised over the Guilford
Courthouse, North Carolina on March 15, 1781 under the leadership
of General Greene whose militiamen halted the British advance
through the Carolinas and turned them back to the seaport towns.
This was one of the bloodiest battles of the long war with the British
losing over a quarter of their troops.
Philadelphia Light Horse Troop
This troop was formed by a group of Philadelphia gentlemen on
November 17, 1774. Many were businessmen and merchants who
supplied their own uniforms, military equipment and horses. The flag
was contributed to the unit by Captain Markoe, it was designed by
John Folwell and painted by James Claypoole. The British Union was
originally painted in the canton but the artist was instructed to paint
thirteen stripes to represent the united colonies. It was this troop that
escorted General Washington from Philadelphia to take command of
the Continental Army, assembled at Cambridge outside of Boston in
June, 1775. The Light Horse Troop later carried their flag in the Battles of Brandywine, Germantown,
Princeton and Trenton.
Pine Tree
Version 1
Sewn
Version 2
Printed
This flag was in use 1775-1777. It was officially adopted by the Massachusetts Navy in April 1776. It flew
over the floating batteries which sailed down the Charles River to attack British-held Boston. This flag is the
jack form of the "Bunker Hill" flag. On October 20, 1775, Colonel Joseph Reed, Washington's military
secretary, recommended that this flag be put into general usage so that American ships could recognize one
another. The "Pine Tree Flag" is a generic name for a number of flags used by Massachusetts and by New
England from 1686 to 1776.
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Rhode Island Regiment
In Rhode Island the anchor has been used as a state symbol ever
since 1647 which is evident in the current State flag. The anchor
represents Rhode Island's seafaring activities and the thirteen stars,
the original thirteen colonies. The native Rhode Islanders were
among the first to join the Minutemen outside Boston. The Rhode
Island Regiments served at the Battles of Brandywine, Trenton and
Yorktown. This flag is preserved today in the State House at
Providence, Rhode Island.
Sons of Liberty
This was the flag of the early colonist who had joined together in the
protest against the British impositions on American economic
freedom. One such protest was resistance to the Stamp Act, on
October 7, 1765. A delegate from each of the nine colonies formed
the "Stamp Act Congress" . They petitioned the king and parliament,
the act was repealed on March 18, 1766. The flag of nine red and
white stripes that represented these "Sons of Liberty" became known
as the "Rebellious Stripes." On December 16, 1773, the Sons of
Liberty protested the parliament's Tea Act, an action that became
known as the Boston Tea Party. The colonists' believed the tax to be a violation of their legitimate economic
liberty. Three and a half years after the Tea Party the thirteen colonies had come together in their decision to
fight for independence and the nine stripes had grown to thirteen. The Sons of Liberty would rally under a
large tree which became known as "The Liberty Tree".
Star Spangled Banner
Straight Stars Version
The "Star-Spangled Banner" was flying above FT. McHenry at
Baltimore when the British attacked on September 13, 1814. Francis
Scott Key, a lawyer from Washington had gone aboard a British ship
seeking the release of a friend held prisoner. He was detained
throughout the night. The sight of the American flag still flying over
the fortress the next morning inspired Key to write what, in 1931,
became our National Anthem. The original FT. McHenry flag is
displayed in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington. This design,
born with the second flag act on January 13, 1794, is our only official flag ever to have more than thirteen
stripes.
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Taunton
This flag is another example of the colonists' modifying the British
flag, in this case the British Red Ensign. It was raised on the Liberty
pole in Taunton, Massachusetts, on October 21, 1774. Sometimes
only the word "LIBERTY" was added to the flag.
Washington Cruisers
This flag was used by George Washington on his squadron of six
schooners which he outfitted at his own expense in the fall of 1775.
This flag was a variation of the New England Pine Tree flag. It was
later modified and adopted by the Massachusetts Navy. The Sons of
Liberty would rally under a large tree, in Boston Massachusetts,
which came to be known as "The Liberty Tree". This tree became a
symbol of American independence. Knowing they were up against a
great military power they believed they were sustained by still a
greater power, thus their "APPEAL TO HEAVEN".