National Flag Day – the Annual Celebration of the American Flag

The American flag is one of the most recognisable flags in the world and has deep roots in the history and culture of one of the most influential nations on the planet.

As such each year the American people celebrate the adoption of their Star-Spangled Banner by flying it proudly outside their homes and business, and in some states, they hold Flag Day parades. The oldest of these parades are held in Washington and has been observed since 1909.

Join us as we look at some of the history surrounding the Red, White, and Blue as we celebrate National Flag Day with all our American friends across the globe.

 Why is Flag Day the same date each year?

National Flag Day is always celebrated on June 14th each year in honour of the adoption of the US flag by the Second Continental Congress in 1777.

This Congress passed the Flag Act of 1777 on 14 June 1777 which stipulated the design elements of the US flag as follows:

"Resolved, That the flag of the thirteen United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation."

While the Flag Act would be amended over the years to allow for the addition of new states it is this first signing that is celebrated each year.

 Why are there Stars and Stripes on the Flag?

Since the Flag Act of 1777, the American flag has always contained stripes of red and white, with the union of states represented by white stars on a blue field. However, over time there have been some notable variants of the flag based on the number of united states and interpretation of the Flag Act by the designer.

In total, the US flag has been officially modified 26 times since 1777, as an example here is the hotly debated "Betsy Ross” version of the flag.

The only deviation from the “rule of 13” was when President George Washington signed the Flag Act of 1794 which saw the flag feature 15 stripes of red and white not 13 as expected. He made this change in keeping with the addition of two new states to the Union. The logic being that when first penned the Union consisted of 13 states and as such the flag featured thirteen stripes, with 15 states in the union the flag would require 15 alternating stripes.

April 4th, 1818 saw Congress put this notion aside as by then the Union consisted of increasing the stripes to match the number of states stating that:

“… the flag of the United States be thirteen horizontal stripes, alternate red and white: that the union be twenty stars, white in a blue field. And be it further enacted, That on the admission of every new state into the Union, one star be added to the union of the flag;”

This measured approach is why the National flag we fly today hosts 50 stars to represent the states that make up the United States of American and 13 stripes which represent the British colonies which declared their independence from the United Kingdom.

 What are some of the Flag’s nicknames?

The American flag three well-known nicknames, these are:

1. OId Glory – Named such by American sea captain William Driver who flew the flag proudly during the Civil War. He called the American flag his “staunch companion and protection”.
2. The Star-Spangled Banner – The larger than average 15 stripe, 15 star US flag approved by President George Washington was named the Star-Spangled Banner and also inspired the Francis Scott Key poem that would one day lead to the US National Anthem being entitled the same.
3. The Red, White, and Blue – While there is no doubt the original colours are born out of the rebellion against the British the colours of the flag have repeatedly been assigned the values of purity and Innocence (white), hardiness and valour (red), and perseverance and justice (blue).

All of the nicknames given to the American flag are done so out of respect for the flag and what the Union was meant to mean to people – a hope for safety, security and a better life.

 Great ways observe National Flag Day

June 14th is a day when both National Flag Day and the United States Army are celebrated. This is because the US army was officially created by the Second National Congress on June 14th, 1775.

This has led to the many of the celebration and observances around National Flag Day crossing over, and rightly so, to honour the men and women who protect the flag and the nation it represents.

“Our flag does not fly because the wind moves it, it flies with the last breath of each soldier who died protecting it.” ~ Author Unknown

Here are some ways you can celebrate June 14th:

• Fly the American flag outside your home or business
• Visit one of the parades in honour of National Flag Day
• Visit a memorial to fallen war heroes
• Support a charity or outreach program for veterans
• Learn about the history and meaning of the flag
• Learn how to properly care for and handle the flag

While the times may change, seemingly whipping back and forth between tumultuous and peaceful it is always good to take a moment and be grateful for the freedoms you have and the right to make your voice heard.

 Avoid these 7 mistakes when displaying the American Flag

For those who want to honour the flag and those who fought for the rights and freedoms of Americans, home and abroad.

If you plan to fly the flag this National Flag Day here are 7 tips on how to properly handle and display the American flag:

1. Keep the flag safe from harm. Be careful not fly it the stormy weather or at any time that it might be damaged by the elements.
2. Keep the flag well lit. Ideally, the flag is meant to be flown from dawn until sunset, however, should you need to fly it at night be sure to shine a light on it.
3. Fly the flag. The American flag is never meant to touch the floor, the roof of your home or even your car or motorcycle in order to keep it clean and in pristine condition.
4. And fly it high. The National flag must never be flown below another flag when displayed on the same pole as an organisation, school or team flag.
5. Memorial Day display. To honour those who died protecting the USA the US flag is always flown at half-mast before noon on Memorial Day.
6. The correct way to display. Should you want to display the flag you can hang it so the stripes or either vertical or horizontal, however, the field of blue must always be on the top left, no matter how you hang it.
7. Be true to the red, white and blue. The flag has a long and valued history to add any badges, insignia's or quotes to the flag is a sign of disrespect.

When displaying the flag these seven tips will ensure that you always show the flag and your guest the respect they deserve.