THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES:
presentation on flag)
Quiz Questions
(follow-up to
1.
What do the stars on the flag stand for?
(Stars stand for the 50 states that make up the U.S.A.)
2.
What do the stripes on the flag stand for?
(The thirteen original colonies. Red stripes represent the
mother country.
They are separated by white stripes thus
showing that we have separated from the mother country.)
3.
What should we do when we see the flag?
(Stand at attention.
We stand at attention for: 1) The
Pledge of Allegiance; 2) The National Anthem; 3) a parade;
and 4) the flag raising or flag lowering.)
4.
What are some things we should never do to the flag?
(1. Let it touch the ground. 2. Display it in bad weather.)
5.
Who wrote a song about the flag that is now our national
anthem?
(Francis Scott Key, 1814, Maryland)
6.
What do we do to say The Pledge of Allegiance?
(Stand up; place right hand over heart)
7.
When is Flag Day and what do we do on Flag Day?
(June 14th. We display the flag. The first flag was flown
in 1777, but Flag Day was made official 200 years later.)
8.
What else do we sometimes call our flag?
("The Stars and Stripes.")
Introduction:
Welcome
1.
2.
3.
Sign in sheet
Today lots of fun, games, songs, stories about "The Star-Spangled Banner
National Anthem--song about our "star-spangled banner"
Every nation uses a special flag to represent unity and independence. When we look at the
flag we fee love and honor for our country and its people. For over 200 years our "StarSpangled Banner" has waved over the United States. It is the symbol of freedom, equality,
justice, and humanity.
Game (putting flags together)
The Flag should be honored as a symbol of the United States of America.
A.
(Show a few different flags.) Every country has a flag.
1.
Union [a design that symbolizes unity. May appear in canton]
2.
Canton [upper inside corner next to staff where a special design union appears]
Represents our country.
B.
United States Flags
1.
Union Jack
2.
3.
C.
First adopted flag
50-star flag
British Union Jack showed colonists did not at first
seek independence.
13 stripes, 13 stars
latest flag. What do 49th & 50th stars stand for?
U.S. Flag (50-star)
1.
What do colors stand for?
2.
3.
Red-courage; white-purity, innocence, new
country; blue-justice
What do the stripes stand for? 13 original colonies
What do the stars stand for? 50 states
D.
Saluting the Flag
When a national flag is raised or lowered as part of a ceremony or when it passes in a
parade, all persons should face it and stand at attention, right had over the heart. The flag
should be saluted just as it passes in a parade, when the Pledge of Allegiance is said, when
the national anthem is played, or when the flag is raised or lowered.
E.
Flag Day
June 14th, but we also display the flag on other national holidays.
F.
Pledge of Allegiance
The Flag of the United States - Dates
July 4, 1960
The 50-star flag of the U.S. was raised for the first time officially. The 50th
star was for Hawaii. A year earlier the 49th star was added for Alaska.
Before that no star had been added since 1912 (New Mexico & Arizona)
June 14, 1777 Stars and Stripes originated as a result of a resolution offered by the Marine
Committee or the Second Continental Congress.
Resolved: That the flag of the U.S. be 13 stripes alternate red and white; that
the union be 13 stars, white in a blue field. It was thought to be the first flag.
Jan. 1, 1776
First flag not officially adopted was the Grand Union. for the Grand Union,
6 horizontal stripes were imposed on the red field dividing it into 13
alternate red and white stripes.
July 4, 1818
The flag of 1777 was used until 1795. Then on the admission of Vermont
and Kentucky, Congress passed and President Washington signed an act that
after May 1, 1795, the flag should have 15 stripes, alternate red and white
and 15 stars.
When new states were added it became evident that the flag would become
burdened with stripes. Congress therefore ordered that after July 4, 1818,
the flag should have 13 stripes symbolizing the 13 original states; that then
the union had 20 stars and whenever a new state was admitted a new star
should be added on the July 4th following admission.
March 3,
The Star-Spangled Banner, which was written by francis Scott Key in 1814,
was ordered played by the military and naval services by Pres. Woodrow
Wilson in 1916.
It was designated as the national anthem by act of Congress, 1931.
June 14th
Flag Day in memory of the day in 1777 when the flag, the Stars and Stripes,
was adopted as the official flag.
CODE OF ETHICS FOR DISPLAY AND USE OF FLAG
When to display:
should be displayed on legal holidays, election day, sunrise to sunset.
How to display:
hoisted briskly and lowered ceremoniously; should never be allowed to
touch the ground or floor
When to salute:
All persons should face the flag, stand at attention, and salute on the
following occasions:
1.
When the flag is passing in a parade
2.
3.
4.
During the ceremony of hoisting and lowering
When the national anthem is played
During the Pledge of Allegiance
SYMBOLISM OF THE FLAG
George Washington explained the symbolism:
Stars - from heaven
Red - from our mother country, separated by
White- stripes showing we have separated from mother country
White stripes represent liberty.