An Abridged Chronological Journey Through a Few of America's
Trace the evolution of “How America Became America” through the flags that watched it happen. Each flag marks a significant event in the nation’s history, offering a visual and narrative story of America’s journey toward Independence and Freedom.
The Birth of Democracy - 509 B.C.
The Birth of Democracy
The first “Proto-Flag of Freedom,” the “Owl” symbol of ancient Athens, found on shields that pre-dated the introduction of fabric flags, were displayed in the ‘ekklesia’ or the assembly of Athenian citizens where their first version of “Direct” Democracy was first invented, only to later fail due to the limitations and corruption inherent in the initial “majority rule” form of democracy.
The Quest for Freedom - Bunker Hill 1775 A.D.
The Bedford Flag
Legend tells us that the Minutemen of Lexington, Massachusetts, brandished the Bedford flag when they clashed with the British Regulars on April 19, 1775. This flag is said to have been the first to endure enemy fire in the American Revolution.
The Latin phrase “Vince aut Morire” on the scroll means “Conquer or Die.” This phrase motivated the brave of the Minutemen who clashed with the British Regulars in Lexington and Concord, and helped lead to the famous “shot heard around the world.”
The Founding Era - 1776
The Birth of a Nation
The first offical American flag authorized by the Continental Congress, known as the “Continental Colors,” or the “Grand Union” flag, was first raised in 1776 by George Washington in front of his Continental troops. Although it still carried a vestige of the “Mother Country” in its canton, the new flag symbolized the birth of a new nation and the fight for American Liberties and Freedom.
The War of 1812
The Star-Spangled Banner
June 14th, 1777 saw the legal enshrinement of the original “Stars and Stripes” flag by Congress, which is the one that may have featured a circular arrangement of its thirteen stars along with its thirteen stripes that many Americans still attribute to Betsy Ross (despite probably being more myth than fact). This new version of the flag, and the second generation in this new family of now fully “American” flags, marks the final flag profiled in “Flags of Freedom-The Quest for Freedom,” and the last flag of America’s Founding era that was introduced toward the end of the 18th century.
The “15-Stars & Stripes” flag shown to the left, would soon be given a new nickname—the “Star-Spangled Banner”—debuted in 1794 when Vermont and Kentucky were admitted to the Union. Congress added one additional stripe and star to the flag for each of the two new states, making a total of 15 stars and 15 stripes. That policy would soon be changed however, to only adding one new star for each new state admitted to the Union, and retaining only the original 13 stripes of earlier flags. This policy would be repeated for generations to come as new states were added the Union.
The Civil War 1861-1865
Civil War Flags
During the Civil War, the flags of two nations representing the Union and the Confederacy, saw our experiment with Democracy as one nation, almost fail. Each flag symbolized a different ideal and way of life, as well as our divided nation’s fight to the death to determine our nation’s destiny.
The 27th & Current Version of the Stars & Stripes 1959 - 2025
"Our" American Flag
In 1959, the American flag added two new stars, one each for our new states of Alaska and Hawaii, respectively.
Our current flag, the last iteration in a 250-year long line of “American” flag designs, witnessed the major events of the last half of the 20th century; the passing of a New Millenium, and, to date, the first two and one-half decades of the 21st century.
What people, places, and events do you think our national symbol will witness over the coming decades and beyond to the turn of the next century? Whatever they’ll be, it’s a certainty that they’ll be equally important and exciting as in the first two and one-half centuries since we first became a free and independent nation. Long live Liberty, Freedom, and our Flag, and God Bless the United States of America!