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 flag. We show it at concerts and stadiums to commemorate, as well as 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 any occasion, Flag Day, to honor it every June 14, also own it on prominent display for the Fourth of July.
Yet the iconography and reputation for the American banner, particularly its very very early history, are infused with myth and misrepresentation. Listed here are five of the most extremely predominant urban myths.
Myth # 1: Betsy Ross made 1st US banner.
The Betsy Ross tale is considered the most tenacious little bit of fiction relating to the banner. There just is not any legitimate historical proof — letters, diaries, paper records, bills of purchase — that Ross (then called Elizabeth Claypoole) either made or possessed a submit creating the US banner before it made its first in 1777.
The tale cropped up in 1870, very nearly a century following the first banner had been supposedly sewn, whenever William Canby, Ross’ grandson, told the Historical Society of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia that their grandmother made the flag at George Washington’s behest. Canby’s evidence that is sole 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 flag in her own lap is a scene developed by Charles H. Weisgerber, the musician and business owner whom profited through the Betsy Ross legend.
While Ross did make flags in Philadelphia when you look at the belated 1770s, it’s all but sure that the storyline about her producing the flag that is american a misconception.
As President Woodrow Wilson, whom presided on the very very very first formal nationwide Flag Day on June 14, 1916, is believed to have replied when expected their thoughts from the tale: “Would so it were real.”
Library of Congress
Much symbolism happens to be related to them, nevertheless the colors for the flag that is american never really had almost any formal imprimatur.
Myth # 2. The red, white and blue colors represent American sacrifice.
No federal legislation do my homework, resolution or administrator order exists supplying the official reason behind the flag’s colors — or their meaning. The thing that is closest to a reason would be the words of Charles Thomson, the assistant for the Continental Congress, who was simply instrumental when you look at the design associated with Great Seal of this usa.
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 . means vigilance, perseverance and justice.”
Various official papers and proclamations — including one by President Ronald Reagan marking 1986 whilst the “12 months associated with the 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 making use of red, white and blue into the Stars and Stripes is due to the inescapable fact that they certainly were the colors associated with very very first banner for the United states colonies, the Continental Colors. And there’s doubt that is little the red, white and blue associated with Continental Colors arrived from: the Union Jack associated with great britain.
People in the Electoral university recite the Pledge of Allegiance.
Myth number 3: The Pledge of Allegiance is definitely recited in Congress along with other government figures.
The pledge ended up being published by magazine editor Francis Bellamy in 1892 for a public that is nationwide party for the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’s landing. In 1898, throughout the Spanish-American War, nyc became the state that is first mandate that public college students recite the Pledge of Allegiance at the start of each college time. Numerous states accompanied suit, in addition to pledge stayed a basic associated with the day by day routine in a lot of schools until 1988, whenever it became a problem into the campaign that is presidential.
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 to be recited in public schools. Dukakis stated he did therefore after being encouraged that the law had been unconstitutional.
During the height for the campaign, on Sept. 13, 1988, the pledge had been recited on the ground associated with House of Representatives when it comes to time that is first. Republican people in the home, who had been into the minority, offered an answer to that particular impact, also it ended up being accepted by Speaker Jim Wright, a Democrat. Wright ruled that there after, the pledge will be recited from the beginning of company each time that your house was at session.
The Senate would not start recital that is daily of pledge until June 24, 1999. Since that time, the pledge is now the main opening rituals of almost all state and regional government figures.
In accordance with the Supreme Court, regulations banning banner burning violate free message.
Myth # 4: it really is unlawful to burn off the flag that is american.
It absolutely was unlawful until 1989, as soon as the Supreme Court ruled 5 to 4 in Texas v. Johnson that burning the banner is a type of symbolic message protected by the very first Amendment.
The way it is included Gregory Lee Johnson, user associated with Revolutionary Communist Youth Brigade, that has burned the banner throughout a protest in the 1984 Republican National Convention. He had been convicted of breaking Texas’s flag-desecration legislation, fined $2,000 and sentenced to an in jail year. 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 choice invalidated a 1968 nationwide flag-desecration legislation, along with comparable legislation in 48 states (all except Wyoming and Alaska). In response, Congress passed the Flag Protection Act, but that statutory legislation has also been challenged and ended up in the Supreme Court. The court in 1990 really affirmed its previous ruling, saying that any legislation banning flag burning violated speech that is free.
Those choices generated a movement that is national amend the Constitution to produce banner desecration unlawful. The leading sound in that work happens to be the people Flag Alliance, that was created in 1994 because of the American Legion. Proposed amendments have actually show up frequently in the home and Senate since that time but have actually yet to get support that is sufficient.
This patriotic shirt surely violates Flag Code recommendations.
Myth number 5: It really is okay 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 on to alert from the display or sale of every “article of product . upon which shall happen printed, painted, connected, or perhaps put a representation of” the banner to “advertise, call focus on, decorate, mark, or differentiate this article or substance on which so placed.”
Quite simply, whenever you wear a banner T-shirt or cap while reclining on a flag that is american towel near your US banner camping seat, you might be breaking the Flag Code. The rule, that was used at the National that is first Flag in Washington in 1923, is a component regarding the legislation of this land. However it is maybe perhaps maybe not enforced, neither is it enforceable. It really is simply a couple of tips, permitting People in america understand what to accomplish — and just exactly just what never to do — with our red, white and blue nationwide emblem.
There is absolutely no Flag Police. You’ll not be arrested for putting on a t-shirt that is flag-embossed Independence Day — or just about any other time of the season.
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