Every June 14th we celebrate Flag Day. This date commemorates the establishment of our flag in 1777 by the Continental Congress. The original flag had 13 stars and 13 stripes. When other states were added the stars and the stripes increased. However, it was soon seen as impractical to increase the strips and so they went back to 13 but the stars have increased with the addition of every state to today’s 50 stars.
I remember as a cub scout selling the new 49 star flag when Alaska became a state. I remember the hesitation when I went door to door because people believed it would be soon outdated. Sure enough the same year Hawaii was added and we had a 50 star flag.
This year’s Flag Day is noteworthy because 2014 is also the 200th anniversary year of The Star-Spangled Banner, our national anthem written by Francis Scott Key. Key was inspired to write the words after witnessing a bombardment of Fort McHenry in Baltimore Harbor. When the dawn came the US flag was still flying over the fort.
Two great places to visit this summer are Betsy Ross’ house in Philadelphia. She made the first flag and also Baltimore Harbor and Fort McHenry..
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