What is the meaning of Flag Day? Old Glory is always a sight for sore eyes on the horizon. No matter the grievances you may have with the country, you’ve gotta admit that the stars and stripes inspire patriotism and pride for this great nation. This is what Flag Day represents, but on a more literal level, it’s a celebration of the day that the stars and stripes were officially adopted as the U.S. flag.
What Is the Meaning of Flag Day and Why Do We Celebrate It?
Outwardly, the meaning of Flag Day is really simple. When we celebrate Flag Day, we’re celebrating the appointment of the flag we all know and love (albeit with a few new stars) as the country’s official symbol.
The flag represents a lot more than just our unification as a nation. On Flag Day, we’re also celebrating the struggle and strife, battles and bloodshed that went into the creation of this amazing country, allowing us to have a unified nation for a flag to represent in the first place.
The American flag, for most of us, represents comfort, freedom, and, perhaps most of all, home. Why wouldn’t we celebrate a thing like that?
The History of Flag Day
The first American flag was flown during the initial uproar of the American Revolution, but that flag still contained the Union Jack, the symbol on the British flag. Washington knew that this would not be a good morale booster for troops, and Congress set its sights on creating a new, utterly unique American flag.
On June 14, 1777, a resolution was passed by the Second Continental Congress stating:
“…the flag of the United States be 13 stripes, alternate red and white… [and] the union be 13 stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.”
Given that information, can you guess what day is Flag Day on? To commemorate the creation of the flag, Woodrow Wilson passed an official decree in 1916 that June 14 be celebrated each year as Flag Day.
The History of the American Flag
How did the American flag come to be? Embarrassingly, many Americans don’t know the origins of the American flag. Some simply throw out the name “Betsy Ross” and call it a day.
When asking the question, “What is the meaning of Flag Day?” it’s important to know its actual origins. The real story probably isn’t the same as the one you were taught in primary school, and we’re here to enlighten you. After all, the history of Flag Day is nothing without the history of the American flag itself!
Contrary to popular belief, there is no credible evidence to suggest that Betsy Ross actually made the first American flag, and she sure didn’t ideate the design, either. As a matter of fact, history isn’t quite sure who came up with the first design for the flag, but many theories are out there.
The leading theory is that a man named Francis Hopkinson designed the original flag. Hopkinson was a delegate from New Jersey who was one of the 56 people (including one woman) to sign the Declaration of Independence. The proof? A sole remaining bill was sent to Congress stating that they owed him two casks of ale for designing the American flag. The bill doesn’t include sketches, descriptions, or an official image of the flag, so the proof is flimsy at best; however, flimsy is about all that side of history has to offer us.
Thankfully, we do know who designed the 50-star American flag. A boy named Bob Heft created the 50-star flag in 1958 as a history project during his junior year. At the time, only 48 states were officially part of the U.S., but he had a hunch that two more states would be adopted. He was right, of course, as Hawaii and Alaska became official states the next year.
What Do the Stars and Stripes Mean?
It’s helpful to know what the stars and stripes mean before asking, “What is the meaning of Flag Day?” Though there have been many different variants of the American flag created since its inception, the symbols and meaning behind them remain the same.
There are 13 alternating red and white stripes on the flag that symbolize the original 13 colonies that fought for independence against the Crown. White signifies the purity and innocence of a fledgling country. Red represents the bravery and valor of those who fought for freedom and continue to fight today.
The part of the flag that changes most often is the Union, a.k.a. the part with the stars. At first, similarly to the 13 stripes, there were thirteen stars on a blue background, also to represent the original colonies. The first official flag had these stars laid out in alternating rows. The one you’re probably thinking of, which was the first unofficial flag, had the stars laid out in a circle.
The blue behind the stars stands for perseverance and justice, a perfect background to the American historical tapestry.
Even though the number of stars has changed over time, including a 15-star American flag (Jan. 1794), a 48-star American flag (July 1912), and a 49-star American flag (Jan. 1959), we can still look to the flag and remember our hard-fought past, present, and hopeful future through the stars and stripes.
Forever in Peace May You Wave
Though not official, some have taken to creating a brand new 51-star American flag. This new American flag design with 51 stars could be a reality if D.C. or Puerto Rico gain statehood. We don’t see this happening any time soon, though, as measures in previous years have already been met with staunch opposition.
No matter how it looks or where it’s waving, the American flag is the perfect symbol to represent our country. Now, you tell us, what is the meaning of Flag Day?
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Image: ⒸKen Anderson
