Table of Contents

Introduction

1. Understanding Regimental Flag Design

2. Hornet’s Nest Flag

3. Second New Hampshire Regiment Flag

4. Battle of White Plains Flag

5. Pulaski Legion Banner

6. Bucks of America Flag

7. Commander-in-Chief’s Guard Flag

8. Trumbull American Flag

9. Powder Horns

10. Flag of the United States of America

End

Flag of the United States of America

The national flag of the United States consists of 50 white stars on a blue canton, representing the states of the union, with 13 alternating stripes, for the original 13 colonies. As the country grew, the flag went through 27 iterations from 1777 to 1960 as flag proportions and colors were standardized and new states were added to the Union. In 1960, the flag was updated with the addition of a new star after the admission of Hawaii.

The colors of the national flag did not have any official meaning when it was first adopted. It wasn't until Charles Thomson, Secretary for the Continental Congress, gave them meaning in his "Remarks and Explanation" which accompanied the proposal for his adopted design of the Great Seal of the United States in 1782. Thomson states, "the colours of the pales [on the Seal] are those used in the flag of the United States of America; White signifies purity and innocence, Red, hardiness & valour, and Blue, the colour of the Chief signifies vigilance, perseverance & justice."