![]() It wasn’t until the Third Flag Act of 1818 that the country decided to stick with 13 stripes—one for each colony—and a star for each state. The fifteen stars and stripes represent the fifteen states of the union in 1795. Why does the Star-Spangled Banner have fifteen stars and fifteen stripes? On her death, it was inherited by her son Eben Appleton, who donated the flag to the Smithsonian in 1914. He gave it to his wife Louisa, who passed it down to her daughter Georgiana Armistead Appleton. The Star-Spangled Banner was saved by the Commander of Fort McHenry, George Armistead. Who owned this flag before it came to the Smithsonian Institution? Countless books and toys helped fix in children’s imaginations an indelible image of Betsy Ross. Throughout the twentieth century, generations of American children learned the story of Betsy Ross as part of their patriotic education. The Betsy Ross story continued to gain prominence around the turn of the century, as “flag fever†swept a nation facing challenges when immigration seemingly threatened American traditions. Mass-marketed in inexpensive prints, it gave momentum to a family story that Betsy Ross had made the first American flag.  In 1893, a painting of Betsy Ross by Charles Weisgerber called The Birth of Our Nation’s Flag was exhibited at the World’s Columbian Exposition. She might have remained as obscure as her contemporaries were it not for a convergence of circumstances that made her a national legend. But she was just one of a community of women who made flags in Philadelphia during and after the American Revolution. Why? Betsy Ross is one of the most familiar names in American history—and the only flagmaker most Americans have ever heard of. Many people who see the Star-Spangled Banner assume Betsy Ross made it. No, the Star-Spangled Banner was made by Mary Pickersgill. If you find it, let us know! Did Betsy Ross make this flag? ![]() But we’re never gotten a credible lead. There have been many rumors of its whereabouts throughout the years—some people even believe it was buried with President Lincoln. What we don’t know is who it was given to, or when, or where it is now. We don’t know! Although many people think the hole in the flag was the result of a bomb going through it, we know that Louisa Armistead-who owned the flag for many years-cut out the fifteenth star and gave it to someone to honor them. ![]() The blue area of the flag (called the canton) and the red and white stripes are made of English wool bunting. It originally measured 30 x 42’, but nearly eight feet were snipped off the end to give away as souvenirs in the nineteenth century. ![]() The Star-Spangled Banner was made by Baltimore flagmaker Mary Pickersgill. Some people mistakenly think that the Star-Spangled Banner is the first American flag—it’s not! The Star-Spangled Banner is a national treasure because it is the very flag that inspired Francis Scott Key to write the national anthem. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |