We the everyone loves and honor the Stars and Stripes but have not learned its entire truth

A artwork by Jean Leon Gerome Ferris (circa 1920) of Betsy Ross and George Washington (far left)

Americans love our banner. We show it at concerts and stadiums to commemorate, and also at times during the nationwide tragedy to demonstrate our resolve.

We now have our schoolchildren pledge allegiance to it; we now have consecrated it inside our national anthem; we have actually any occasion, Flag Day, to honor it every June 14, also get it on prominent display for the Fourth of July.

Yet the iconography and reputation for the flag that is american specially its early history, are infused with myth and misrepresentation. Listed here are five of the very commonplace fables.

Myth # 1: Betsy Ross made the initial US flag.

The Betsy Ross tale is one of tenacious bit of fiction relating to the banner. There merely is not any legitimate evidence that is historical letters, diaries, magazine records, bills of purchase — that Ross (then referred to as Elizabeth Claypoole) either made or possessed a turn in creating the US banner before it made its first in 1777.

The story cropped up in 1870, nearly 100 years following the flag that is first supposedly sewn, whenever William Canby, Ross’ grandson, told the Historical Society of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia that their grandmother made the banner at George Washington’s behest. Canby’s single proof: affidavits from family relations. The iconic 1893 artwork of Ross sitting in the sun to her Philadelphia parlor beaming straight straight down in the banner inside her lap is a scene created by Charles H. Weisgerber, the musician and business owner whom profited through the Betsy Ross legend.

While Ross did make flags in Philadelphia into the belated 1770s, it’s all but sure that the storyline about her producing the flag that is american a misconception.

As President Woodrow Wilson, whom presided on the very very first formal nationwide Flag Day on June 14, 1916, is believed to have replied when asked their thoughts regarding the tale: “Would it had been real.”

Library of Congress

Much symbolism happens to be caused by them, nevertheless the colors regarding the flag that is american never ever had any type of formal imprimatur.

Myth number 2. The red, white and colors that are blue American sacrifice.

No federal legislation, resolution or professional order exists supplying the official reason behind the flag’s colors — or their meaning. The closest thing to a description would be the terms of Charles Thomson, the assistant regarding the Continental Congress, who had been instrumental into the design associated with Great Seal associated with the united states of america.

Thomson’s are accountable to Congress on 20, 1782, the day the seal was approved, contained a description of the colors, the same as those in the flag: “White signifies purity and innocence june. Red and Blue . Signifies vigilance, justice and perseverance.”

Various formal papers and proclamations — including one by President Ronald Reagan marking 1986 since the “Year associated with Flag” — have actually echoed that thinking.

However the colors would not have, nor have actually they ever endured, any official imprimatur. Historians think that the application of red, white and blue into the Stars and Stripes is due to the fact that is simple they certainly were the colors of this very first banner associated with the United states colonies, the Continental Colors. And there’s small question where the red, white and blue associated with Continental Colors arrived from: the Union Jack regarding the uk.

People of the Electoral university recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

Myth # 3: The Pledge of Allegiance is certainly recited in Congress along with other government systems.

The pledge ended up being published by mag editor Francis Bellamy in 1892 for a public that is nationwide party for the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’s landing. In 1898, throughout the Spanish-American War, ny became the very first state to mandate that public college students recite the Pledge of Allegiance at the start of each college time. Numerous states used suit, therefore the pledge stayed a basic of this day by day routine in lots of schools until 1988, when it became a problem into the campaign that is presidential.

Vice President George H.W. Bush criticized their opponent, Democrat Michael Dukakis, for vetoing a bill as governor of Massachusetts that will have needed the pledge become recited in public areas schools. Dukakis stated he did therefore after being encouraged that the legislation had been unconstitutional.

In the height of this campaign, on Sept. 13, 1988, the pledge ended up being recited on the ground of this House of Representatives when it comes to very first time. Republican people of the home, who have been when you look at the minority, offered an answer compared to that impact, also it was accepted by Speaker Jim Wright, a Democrat. Wright ruled that there after, the pledge could be recited at the beginning of company each time that the home was at session.

The Senate would not start recital that is daily of pledge until June 24, 1999. Since that time, the pledge is now area of the opening rituals of the majority of state and regional bodies that are governmental.

In line with the Supreme Court, regulations banning banner burning violate free message.

Myth # 4: it’s unlawful to burn off the US banner.

It absolutely was unlawful until 1989, once the Supreme Court ruled 5 to 4 in Texas v. Johnson that burning the banner is a kind of symbolic message protected by the initial Amendment.

The truth included Gregory Lee Johnson, a known user associated with Revolutionary Communist Youth Brigade, who had burned the banner within a protest during the 1984 Republican National Convention. He had been convicted of breaking Texas’s flag-desecration legislation, fined $2,000 and sentenced to a 12 months in prison. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals overturned the conviction, governing that Johnson ended up being exercising their First Amendment directly to freedom of message.

The Supreme Court’s choice invalidated a 1968 nationwide flag-desecration law, in addition to similar rules in 48 states (all except Wyoming and Alaska). Responding, Congress passed the Flag Protection Act, but that statutory legislation has also been challenged and ended up in the Supreme Court. The court in 1990 basically affirmed its earlier ruling, saying that any legislation banning flag burning violated free message.

Those choices resulted in a nationwide motion to amend the Constitution in order to make banner desecration illegal. The key vocals for the reason that work was the resume writing service people Flag Alliance, that has been established in 1994 by the American Legion. Proposed amendments have actually show up frequently in the home and Senate ever since then but have actually yet to get enough help.

This shirt that is patriotic violates Flag Code instructions.

Myth number 5: It is okay to put on a Stars-and-Stripes T-shirt.

The U.S. Flag Code frowns in the use of the banner “for advertising purposes.” It continues to alert up against the purchase or display of any “article of merchandise . upon which shall happen printed, painted, connected, or perhaps put a representation of” the banner to “advertise, call awareness of, decorate, mark, or differentiate the content or substance on which so placed.”

Put simply, once you wear a banner T-shirt or hat while reclining for a flag that is american towel near your US banner camping seat, you will be breaking the Flag Code. The rule, that was used during the National that is first Flag in Washington in 1923, is component regarding the legislation regarding the land. However it is perhaps maybe not enforced, neither is it enforceable. Its simply a couple of tips, letting People in america know what to accomplish — and exactly exactly what never to do — with our red, white and blue emblem that is national.

There is absolutely no Flag Police. You won’t be arrested for using a flag-embossed t-shirt on Independence Day — or some other time of the season.