Ripton Parish Chapter, NSDAR, Inc. members celebrate Flag Day on June 14. Our United States flag is synonymous with liberty and freedom for all citizens. Throughout the history of this country, it has been honored, chastised, celebrated, criticized and worshipped. It is a symbol of freedom not only to those who live within its borders but also to countless people throughout the world.
The first flag, ordered by General George Washington, was the Grand Union flag used at the siege of Boston on Prospect Hill on January 1, 1776. This flag had 13 alternating red and white stripes and the British Union Jack in the upper left corner.
It is not known who actually designed the first official flag, although Betsy Ross, a seamstress in Philadelphia and a friend of George Washington, provided a flag with which we are all familiar - the stars arranged in a circle to show equal representation of the states and alternating stripes of red and white.
The Continental Congress wanted to establish an official flag for the new nation, so on June 14, 1777, they 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."
Congress passed several acts between 1777 and 1960, that changed the shape, design and arrangement of the flag and allowed for additional stars and stripes to be added with the admission of each new state.
Our current flag, today, consists of thirteen horizontal stripes, seven red, alternating with six white. The stripes represent the original 13 colonies, the stars represent the 50 states of the Union.
The red, white and blue colors are symbolic. Red symbolizes Hardiness and Valor. White symbolizes Purity and Innocence. Blue represents Vigilance, Perseverance and Justice.
God Bless America!
The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution is dedicated to promoting Historic Preservation, Education and Patriotism. DAR members are women who come from diverse backgrounds and have a variety of interests.Any woman 18 years old or older, regardless of race, religion or ethnic background, who can prove direct lineage to a Revolutionary War ancestor is eligible to join. For more information, visit https://www.dar.org/ For information on Ripton Parish Chapter, NSDAR, Inc. visit https://riptonparishchapter.org/ To learn more about America250! Visit https://www.dar.org/national-society/america-250/america250-foundation-partner
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