“The design would undergo several changes over the course of the conflict. Here are some of the variations.”
By George Yagi Jr.
WHEN THE Second Continental Congress declared independence from Great Britain on July 4, 1776, it wasn’t the Stars and Stripes that was flying above Philadelphia’s Independence Hall, it was the Grand Union Flag.
This lesser-known banner was certainly similar to America’s now-iconic flag. It featured 13 red and white stripes. But it also included a small Union Jack in the upper-left corner. As the war continued, this lingering British influence was replaced with the now-familiar blue field with stars.
Yet, even this design would undergo several additional changes over the course of the conflict. Here are some of the variations.
The Grand Union Flag
First hoisted on Jan. 2, 1776, this flag was created to represent the United Colonies.
The red and white stripes were a favourite design of the Sons of Liberty, colonial agitators famously remembered for their role in the Boston Tea Party.
Despite the fact that rebel forces had already fought the British at Lexington and Concord and the Battle of Bunker Hill, the rebels still viewed themselves as loyal subjects of the Crown. To affirm this, the Union Jack remained in the upper left corner of their flag.
When independence was finally declared on July 4, 1776, the rebellion — first launched over the issue of taxation — had since widened into a full-blown revolution. Accordingly, the flag’s tribute to the empire was no longer seen in keeping with the patriot cause.
The Hopkinson Flag
On June 14, 1777, Congress officially declared “that the flag of the thirteen United States be thirteen stripes of alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.”
Among those involved in drafting this resolution for the Marine Committee, a legislative commission tasked with, among other things, devising standardized ensigns for American vessels, was Francis Hopkinson. One of the signatories of the Declaration of Independence, he not only designed the first Stars and Stripes flag, but also the Great Seal of the United States, as well as the official seals for the Admiralty and Treasury. While no specifications were made regarding the arrangement of the stars, those in Hopkinson’s version each featured six-points and were arranged in five vertical columns alternating between three and two stars each.
The Betsy Ross Flag
Throughout the Revolution, flag makers offered their own distinct takes on Hopkinson’s design, typically by varying the placement of the stars. While the above version is often credited to Pennsylvania flag maker Betsy Ross, little evidence exists to support claims that she is the originator of the circular star pattern. Indeed, it’s a point which even her own grandson, William Canby, admitted when he first presented her story in 1870.
What is known for certain, however, is that in 1783, Major Pierre L’Enfant provided an illustrative drawing to be used in membership certificates for the Society of Cincinnati, a hereditary-patriotic organization comprised of officers who had served during the war. In it, an American flag is clearly visible that features the stars arranged in an oval configuration. Although different from the circle used in the version familiar today, it bears a striking resemblance.
Despite the lack of proof to support the legend of Betsy Ross, there is no denying that she did sew flags during the conflict.
After the war, the Stars and Stripes continued to evolve. The original 13 stripes remained, but additional stars were added for each new state that was admitted to the Union. However, the colours remained unchanged. In 1782, Congress attached particular meaning to them following the adoption of the Great Seal.
“The colours of the pales are those used in the flag of the United States of America,” wrote secretary of Congress, Charles Thomson. “White signifies purity and innocence; red, hardiness & valor; and blue, the colour of the chief, signifies vigilance, perseverance and justice.”
Red, white, and blue are not unique to the U.S. flag and are used in dozens of nations’ banners, but there is no doubt that these were ideals that the founders wished to instil on the conscience of the new nation.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Dr. George Yagi Jr. is an award winning author and historian at the University of the Pacific. Follow him on Twitter @gyagi_jr
The American Flag: A Christian Symbol
Back in 1986-87, I was living in Ellensburg, Washington. I was attending a small Pentecostal church called Bethel Gospel Church. Some friends at the church invited me to a church conference in Seattle, so I went along.
We were staying at some friends’ place in the Seattle area when there was a knock on the door. This older lady walked in and she talked with our friends for a little. Then she turned to me and said that the Lord told her to come and give something to me. I was pleasantly surprised to hear this. She gave me a piece of paper and she had written some things down for me to read.
On the piece of paper was written Psalm 60: 4: “Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah.” She also wrote that there are thirteen stripes on the flag: seven red stripes and six white stripes. Thirteen stands for rebellion–in this case rebellion against Satanic oppression (King George III and British mis-management of the Colonies, breaking away from the world system of governance). Seven is God’s number; the color red is the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ. Six is man’s number; the color white stands for man’s sins washed white as snow by the Blood of the Lamb. The fifty stars represent Pentecost or the power of the Holy Ghost.
I have always remembered that lady and what she wrote on that piece of paper. Whenever I see the American flag (I think it is the most beautiful flag on the planet–I also like the British flag and the Israeli flag), I don’t see another flag waving in the breeze, I see the Stars and Stripes of Jesus Christ.