AMERICAN FLAGS FACTS

1. The national flag of the United States often referred to as the American flag. It was "born" on June 14, 1777. June 14 was designated Flag Day on August 3, 1949 - The day to commemorate the anniversary of the original adoption of the flag. It is not celebrated as a federal holiday, but Americans continue to honor the history and heritage that the Stars and Stripes present.

2. The flag shares its day with the United States Army's celebration of Army Birthday.

3. Nicknames for the flag include the "Star and Stripes", "Old Glory" and "The Star-Spangled Banner".

4. The 50 white stars represent the 50 states of America and symbolized honor, achievement, and hope. The canton are referred to as the "union".

5. The 13 stripes on the American flag represent the 13 original British colonies that declared independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain.

6. The flag always has 13 stripes except upon welcoming Vermont and Kentucky (States 14 and 15) into the union, a new version of the flag was created that 15 stars and stripes. As the United States continued to add new states, there were concern about having to continually add additional stripes. The solution: revert to 13 to represent the original 13 colonies and let the stars do the heavy lifting.

7. What do the colors of the flag mean? The colors Red, White, and Blue did not have any meanings for the Stars and Stripes when it was adopted in 1777. However, the colors in the Great Seal, did have specific meanings. Charles Thompson, Secretary of the Continental Congress, reporting to the Congress on the seal, stated: " The colors of the pales (the vertical stripes) are those used in the flag of the United States of America; White signifies purity and innocence, Red, hardiness and valor and Blue, the color of the chief (the broad band above the stripes) signifies vigilance, perseverance, and justice. Also, this from the book about the flag, published in 1777 by the House of Representatives. "The stars is the symbol of heavens and the divine goal to which man has aspired from the immemorial; the stripes is a symbol of the rays of light emanating from the sun".

8. Official flag colors (White, Old Glory Red and Old Glory Blue) are defined with reference to The Color Association of The United States. The color are reproducible for cloth only. They cannot perfectly be converted to RGB (screen display) or CMYK (printing).

9. Elizabeth Griscom Ross, better known as Betsy Ross (1752-1836) - is widely credited with designing the first American flag, but there is no historical evidence that she was the first flag seamstress. Instead, many historians believe that Francis Hopkinson deserves the credit because early journals from the Continental Congress are said to explicitly name him as a flag's designer.

10. Robert G.Heft designed the current flag as a school project when Hawaii and Alaska were being discussed as possible states. He received a B for the assignment because his teacher said it lack creativity. His teacher told him he would receive a higher grade if it adopted by Congress, so he sent it on to his representative, where it eventually became the nation's flag. He was 18 years old.

11. Only the President and State Governors can order the flags on government building to be flown at half-staff.

12. The only time you burn an American flag is when it can't be fixed or if it dirty beyond cleaning. The flag is burned in a dignified matter, as in a ceremony.

13. The Flag Code allows any deceased to be allowed to have the flag adorning a coffin. Veterans are the most common people to have the flag on their coffin, but anyone is allowed to use the flag in this manners. 14. The American flag is the third oldest original flag still in use. Though the United States become a nation far after many European countries, its national flag is the third oldest of the National Standard of the world behind only those of Denmark and Austria. The American flag is older than the Union Jack of Britain or the Tricolor of France.