The American Flag

            The origins of the American flag date all the way back to 1776 when the Continental Congress made it the official flag of the nation. Though, the origins of the flag before that are unclear. There is no evidence to suggest the legend of Betsy Ross as the flag's creator is true. The flag originally had 13 stripes and 13 stars to represent the 13 colonies, but as time passed and more states joined the union the flag needed to grow. So from 1777-1960, Congress passed acts to add additional stars to the flag leading to the fifty stars that we have today. The meaning of the colors of the flag is best explained by PBS, “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.” So, in general, the colors of the flag represents the ideal characteristics that every American should possess. In addition, the white stars with the blue background were meant to represent stars in a constellation. The flag is the symbol of the American people best explained by ABC-Clio , “It is the country’s most honored emblem of nationality." The American flag has been connected to different names such as "Olde Glory" and "The Star Spangled Banner." The name "Olde Glory" originated from a man named William Driver who was a sea captain whose flag withstood the civil war without being desecrated. And the name "The Star Spangled Banner" originates from poet Francis Scott Key who wrote a poem about the flag still flying over FortMcHenryy titled “The Star Spangled Banner.” (All of this research came from ABC-Clio and PBS) since the origins of the flag are so deep it is no wonder there are many different rules and customs that follow such a beloved symbol, In conclusion, The American flag is a widely loved symbol that represents the strength of the U.S. and her people.