Flag Day: What is it?
Flag Day
In the US, this holiday is each year on June 14th. This holiday honors the day in 1777 when the United States gave the approval and adoption for the first national flag design.
Almost a year later, on February 14th, 1778, it was first saluted by foreign naval ships.
History
During the American Revolution, the colonists didn’t fight under one united flag. Most that were participating in the war against the British fought under their own.
In June of 1775, the Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia, PA to create the Continental Army. This was a unification of forces and led to the creation of the first flag that had 13 red and white strips and a Union Jack in the corner.
This led to the events of June 14th, 1777. To create more solidarity across the troops, the Second Continental Congress passed a resolution that said “the flag of the United States be 13 stripes, alternate red and white,” and that “the union be 13 starts, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.”
First holiday announcement
It wasn’t until over 100 years later in 1916 that President Woodrow Wilson marked the anniversary of this day as Flag Day.
There have been small changes to the design over time, but keeping the alternating red and white strips and stars remains. For example, in 1818 the United States Congress declared that a new star will be added to represent each new state that entered the union.
Today there are still 13 stripes however there are now 50 stars.
Celebrations
On Flag Day many cities, towns and states hold parades to celebrate and the red white and blue are a common color to see as a symbol of the pride there is in the American flag.
