There are certain facts and stories about historical figures that Americans have grown up with: George Washington cutting down his father’s cherry tree, Albert Einstein flunking math, Ben Franklin flying a kite during a thunderstorm. One that I heard a lot in my youth, especially having grown up in the Philadelphia region, was that Betsy Ross … More The myth and legend of Betsy Ross
The first stars and stripes variant of the U.S. flag was approved on June 14 when the Second Continental Congress passed the Flag Resolution of 1777. However, this resolution wasn’t as big of a deal as it might have been today. One reason is that the concept of a national flag was very new during the late 18th century, and … More America’s first “Stars and Stripes”
The flag of the United States was created during a turbulent time in the country’s history. Combined with the fact that it’s meant to evolve with time, the U.S. flag has one of the most complex histories of any of the world’s flags. For this reason, we will cover the U.S. flag in several posts. If … More America’s first flag
September 11, 2001 will forever be a day remembered by the United States and the world. Nearly 3,000 people lost their lives in terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and Flight 93. While Americans have many painful and vivd memories of the attacks, memories of the recovery efforts are often focused on one striking image: … More The Ground Zero flag: a national mystery
When you’re thinking about pirates (who doesn’t think about pirates?), odds are that you immediately think of a black flag with a skull and crossbones, also known as a Jolly Roger. While the Jolly Roger as we know it had a period of popularity with pirates, it was far from the only flag that they flew. Early … More Pirate flags: the Jolly Roger and beyond
My girlfriend and I spent four days in Washington D.C. last week. One of the highlights of the trip for me (and even for my non-flag nerd girlfriend) was seeing the Star Spangled Banner, the very flag that inspired Francis Scott Key to write the American national anthem during the Battle of Baltimore. Tensions between America … More Star Spangled Banner
While the flag of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, the Libyan socialist state under the rule of Muammar Gaddafi, looks like it was designed by 5 year old with one crayon, it is actually full of details and historical significance. One can even follow a trail between all of the details. It is likely that Gaddafi chose … More Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Flag
Colonel Christopher Gadsden created the flag in 1775 for then commander-in-chief of the Continental Navy Commodore Esek Hopkins to fly on his flagship. Before getting any deeper into the history of the Gadsden flag, we’ll take a look at the symbolism of the rattlesnake in colonial America. Prior to and during the revolution, the eastern … More Gadsden Flag
Fun Flag Facts 