We the everyone loves and honor the Stars and Stripes but have not learned its entire truth
A artwork by Jean Leon Gerome Ferris (circa 1920) of Betsy Ross and George Washington (far left)
Americans love our banner. We show it at concerts and stadiums to commemorate, and also at times during the nationwide tragedy to exhibit our resolve.
We now have our schoolchildren pledge allegiance to it; we now have consecrated it inside our anthem that is national have actually a getaway, Flag Day, to honor it every June 14, also own it on prominent display when it comes to Fourth of July.
Yet the iconography and reputation for the US banner, particularly its very very early history, are infused with misconception and misrepresentation. Listed here are five of the very most predominant fables.
Myth # 1: Betsy Ross made the very first flag that is american.
The Betsy Ross tale is one of piece that is tenacious of concerning the flag. There merely is not any customwritingsв„ў legitimate evidence that is historical letters, diaries, newsprint records, bills of purchase — that Ross (then referred to as Elizabeth Claypoole) either made or had a turn in creating the US banner before it made its first in 1777.
The storyline cropped up in 1870, nearly a century following the flag that is first supposedly sewn, whenever William Canby, Ross’ grandson, told the Historical Society of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia that their grandmother made the banner at George Washington’s behest. Canby’s single proof: affidavits from members of the family. The iconic 1893 artwork of Ross sitting in the sun to her Philadelphia parlor beaming straight down in the banner in her own lap is just a scene designed by Charles H. Weisgerber, the musician and business owner whom profited through the Betsy Ross legend.
While Ross did make flags in Philadelphia into the belated 1770s, it’s all but sure the story about her creating the flag that is american a misconception.
As President Woodrow Wilson, whom presided on the very very first formal Flag that is national Day June 14, 1916, is thought to have replied when expected their thoughts in the tale: “Would so it had been real.”
Library of Congress
Much symbolism is related to them, however the colors associated with the flag that is american never ever had almost any formal imprimatur.
Myth # 2. The red, white and blue colors represent American sacrifice.
No law that is federal resolution or administrator order exists providing the state basis for the flag’s colors — or their meaning. The thing that is closest to a description would be the words of Charles Thomson, the assistant associated with the Continental Congress, who had been instrumental when you look at the design associated with Great Seal of this united states of america.
Thomson’s are accountable to Congress on 20, 1782, the day the seal was approved, contained a description of the colors, the same as those in the flag: “White signifies purity and innocence june. Red and Blue . signifies vigilance, perseverance and justice.”
Various formal papers and proclamations — including one by President Ronald Reagan marking 1986 while the “12 months associated with Flag” — have actually echoed that thinking.
Nevertheless the colors would not have, nor have actually they ever endured, any formal imprimatur. Historians genuinely believe that the employment of red, white and blue into the Stars and Stripes is due to the fact that is simple these people were the colors regarding the very very very first flag associated with United states colonies, the Continental Colors. And there’s doubt that is little the red, white and blue associated with the Continental Colors arrived from: the Union Jack regarding the uk.
People in the Electoral university recite the Pledge of Allegiance.
Myth # 3: The Pledge of Allegiance is definitely recited in Congress as well as other government figures.
The pledge had been published by mag editor Francis Bellamy in 1892 for a nationwide public school party regarding the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’s landing. In 1898, through the Spanish-American War, ny became the very first state to mandate that public college students recite the Pledge of Allegiance at the start of each college time. Numerous states observed suit, in addition to pledge stayed a basic associated with the day to day routine in lots of schools until 1988, whenever it became a concern when you look at the presidential campaign.
Vice President George H.W. Bush criticized their opponent, Democrat Michael Dukakis, for vetoing a bill as governor of Massachusetts that could have needed the pledge become recited in public places schools. Dukakis stated he did so after being encouraged that the statutory legislation had been unconstitutional.
In the height regarding the campaign, on Sept. 13, 1988, the pledge had been recited on to the floor of this House of Representatives for the very first time. Republican people in the House, who have been when you look at the minority, offered an answer to this impact, and it also had been accepted by Speaker Jim Wright, a Democrat. Wright ruled that there after, the pledge will be recited at the beginning of company each that the House was in session day.
The Senate failed to start recital that is daily of pledge until June 24, 1999. Since that time, the pledge became an element of the opening rituals of almost all state and regional bodies that are governmental.
In accordance with the Supreme Court, laws and regulations banning banner burning violate free speech.
Myth # 4: it really is unlawful to burn off the US flag.
It had been illegal until 1989, once the Supreme Court ruled 5 to 4 in Texas v. Johnson that burning the flag is a kind of symbolic message protected by the very first Amendment.
The way it is included Gregory Lee Johnson, user regarding the Revolutionary Communist Youth Brigade, who’d burned the banner throughout a protest during the 1984 Republican National Convention. He had been convicted of breaking Texas’s flag-desecration legislation, fined $2,000 and sentenced to a 12 months in prison. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals overturned the conviction, governing that Johnson had been working out their First Amendment straight to freedom of message.
The Supreme Court’s decision invalidated a 1968 nationwide flag-desecration legislation, along with comparable regulations in 48 states (all except Wyoming and Alaska). In reaction, Congress passed the Flag Protection Act, but that legislation ended up being additionally challenged and finished up in the Supreme Court. The court in 1990 really affirmed its previous ruling, saying that any legislation banning flag burning violated free message.
Those choices resulted in a movement that is national amend the Constitution which will make flag desecration illegal. The key sound in that work happens to be the people Flag Alliance, that has been created in 1994 because of the American Legion. Proposed amendments have actually show up regularly inside your home and Senate since that time but have actually yet to get enough help.
This patriotic shirt undoubtedly violates Flag Code directions.
Myth number 5: It is OK to put on a Stars-and-Stripes T-shirt.
The U.S. Flag Code frowns regarding the utilization of the banner “to promote purposes.” It continues to alert resistant to the purchase or display of every “article of product . upon which shall happen printed, painted, connected, or perhaps put a representation of” the banner to “advertise, phone awareness of, decorate, mark, or differentiate this article or substance on which so placed.”
Put simply, whenever you wear a flag T-shirt or cap while reclining on a flag that is american towel near your US banner camping seat, you’re breaking the Flag Code. The rule, that was used during the National that is first Flag in Washington in 1923, is component for the legislation associated with land. However it is perhaps maybe perhaps not enforced, neither is it enforceable. It really is simply a collection of recommendations, permitting Us americans know very well what to accomplish — and exactly what never to do — with our red, white and blue emblem that is national.
There is absolutely no Flag Police. You won’t be arrested for using a t-shirt that is flag-embossed Independence Day — or just about any other time of the season.