THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES

OVERVIEW  HISTORY OF THE U.S. FLAG –DEVELOPMENT –MEANINGS OF COLORS, SYMBOLS –MAKEUP OF CURRENT U.S. FLAG  DISPLAY/HANDLING OF THE U.S. FLAG –WHEN TO DISPLAY –HOW TO DISPLAY –PROPER CARE/HANDLING (RESPECT)

GRAND UNION FLAG

DEVELOPMENT OF THE FLAG  GRAND UNION FLAG –13 STRIPES (FOR 13 ORIGINAL COLONIES) –CROSS IN UPPER LEFT CORNER –UNOFFICIAL NATIONAL FLAG UNTIL 1777 –CAMBRIDGE FLAG OR CONGRESS COLORS –PRESENT AT MOST BATTLES PRIOR TO 1777

DEVELOPMENT OF THE FLAG  ON JUNE 14, 1777, 2ND CONTINENTAL CONGRESS AUTHORIZED A NEW FLAG –13 STRIPES, ALTERNATE RED AND WHITE –13 STARS ON A BLUE BACKGROUND

BETSY ROSS FLAG

Designers and Patriots  SEVERAL FLAGMAKERS –BETSY ROSS BEST KNOWN –HER DESIGN MOST RECOGNIZED  13 STARS IN A CIRCLE ON THE BLUE BACKGROUND  REBECCA YOUNG AND CORNELIA BRIDGES

DEVELOPMENT OF THE FLAG  IN 1794, CONGRESS PASSED A NEW FLAG LAW –TWO (2) NEW STATES (KENTUCKY AND VERMONT) –15 STRIPES, 15 STARS –INSPIRED FRANCIS SCOTT KEY TO WRITE THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER ON A BRITISH SHIP NEAR FT MCHENRY

STAR SPANGLED BANNER FLAG

DEVELOPMENT OF THE FLAG  IN 1818, PRES. MONROE PASSED A NEW FLAG LAW –13 STRIPES, ALTERNATE RED, WHITE –WHITE STARS ON A BLUE BACKGROUND FOR THE STATES  ADD A STAR TO THE FLAG AS NEW STATES WERE ADDED TO THE UNION  MINOR REVISIONS TO BACKGROUND DUE TO INCREASE IN STATES

MEANING OF THE COLORS AND SYMBOLS  STARS: NUMBER OF STATES  STRIPES: 13 ORIGINAL COLONIES  RED: HARDNESS, VALOR  WHITE: PURITY, INNOCENCE  BLUE:VIGILANCE, JUSTICE, PERSEVERANCE

TODAY’S U.S. FLAG  13 ALTERNATING RED AND WHITE STRIPES –7 RED, 6 WHITE  UNION: –BLUE FIELD EXTENDING TO THE 4TH RED STRIPE –CONTAINS WHITE 5-POINTED STARS  50 WHITE STARS (50 STATES) WITH THE ADDITION OF ALASKA AND HAWAII  FIRST FLOWN AT FT MCHENRY JULY4, 1960  FLAG OF LIBERATION

TODAY’S FLAG

WHEN TO DISPLAY  NORMALLY, SUNRISE TO SUNSET ON BUILDINGS AND FLAGPOLES  CAN BE DISPLAYED 24 HOURS FOR PATRIOTIC EFFECT –REQUIRES AN ALL-WEATHER FLAG –MUST BE ILLUMINATED IN HOURS OF DARKNESS (BY A LAW ENACTED ON JULY 7, 1960  CAN BE DISPLAYED DURING BAD WEATHER –REQUIRES AN ALL-WEATHER FLAG

WHEN TO DISPLAY  New Years Day  Inauguration Day  Martin Luther King Day  Lincoln’s Birthday  President’s Day  Easter Sunday  Mother’s Day  Armed Forces Day  Memorial Day

WHEN TO DISPLAY  Flag Day  Independence Day  Labor day  Constitution Day  Columbus Day  Navy Day  Veteran’s Day  Thanksgiving Day  Christmas Day

WHEN TO DISPLAY  DISPLAYED AS DIRECTED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES  DISPLAYED DAILY NEAR PUBLIC BUILDINGS  DISPLAYED AT VOTING BOOTHS ON ELECTION DAYS  DISPLAYED DAILY IN OR NEAR SCHOOLHOUSES

HOW TO DISPLAY THE FLAG  IN A PROCESSION OR A PARADE –CARRIED ON THE MARCHING RIGHT –CENTER FRONT OF A LINE OF FLAGS  NEVER DRAPED OVER A CAR, TRAIN, BOAT ON A CAR, FRONT RIGHT ON FENDER/CHASSIS  NO FLAG CARRIED HIGHER OR TO THE RIGHT  EXCEPTION: CHURCH SERVICES AT SEA. CHURCH PENNANT MAY BE FLOWNABOVE FLAG DURING SERVICES

HOW TO DISPLAY THE FLAG  STATIONARY (OFFICES, CEREMONIES, BUILDINGS) NO FLAG FLOWN HIGHER EXCEPTION: UNITED NATIONS FLAG AT UN HQ  DISPLAY FLAT OR HANGING FROM A STAFF  CROSSED STAFFS: U.S.FLAG IN FRONT, OBSERVERS LEFT  DISPLAY AT HIGHEST POINT IN A GROUP OF FLAGS OF DIFFERENT STATES OR SOCIETIES

HOW TO DISPLAY THE FLAG  DISPLAY AT TOP WHEN SEVERAL FLAGS OF STATES/SOCIETIES ON THE SAME POLE  DISPLAY AT THE RIGHT SIDE OF FLAGS IN A LINE –RAISE THE U.S. FLAG FIRST, LOWER IT LAST  DISPLAY AT AN ANGLE OR HORIZONTAL FROM THE SIDE OF A BUILDING/HOUSE  WITH 2 OR MORE NATION FLAGS, USE DIFFERENT POLES, FLY AT SAME HEIGHT

HOW TO DISPLAY THE FLAG  SUSPENDED OVER SIDEWALK –FLAG HANGS DOWN, STARS UPPER LEFT (FLAG RIGHT, OBSERVOR LEFT)  DISPLAYED HORIZONTAL/VERTICAL A WALL OR IN A WINDOW –STARS ALWAYS IN UPPER LEFT (FLAG RIGHT, OBSERVOR LEFT)  SUSPENDED OVER A STREET –HANGING VERTICAL, E-W STREET - STARS FACE NORTH; N-S STREET STARS FACE EAST

HOW TO DISPLAY THE FLAG  SPEAKER PLATFORM –HANG BEHIND AND ABOVE SPEAKER WITH STARS TO FLAG RIGHT –IF FLAG IN HOLDERS, U.S. FLAG TO SPEAKER’S RIGHT. OTHER FLAGS ON SPEAKER’S LEFT –(EX. CHURCH, GRADUATION, ASSEMBLIES)

HOW TO DISPLAY THE FLAG  HALF-STAFF (HALF- MAST) –MEMORIAL DAY UNTIL 12:00 NOON –BY ORDER OF THE PRESIDENT  DEATH OF A MAJOR U.S.GOVERNMENT OFFICAL, FOREIGN DIGNITARY  SPECIAL EVENT –BY ORDER OF A STATE GOVERNOR  DEATH OF A MAJOR STATE OFFICIAL  SPECIAL EVENT

PROPER CARE AND HANDLING OF THE FLAG  NEVER DIP THE FLAG TO ANY PERSON OR THING  NEVER DISPLAY THE FLAG WITH THE STARS DOWN –EXCEPTION: DISTRESS SIGNAL  NEVER LET THE FLAG TOUCH THE FLOOR, GROUND, WATER, MERCHANDISE  NEVER CARRY THE FLAG HORIZONTAL OR FLAT. CARRY IT ALOFT AND FREE.

PROPER CARE AND HANDLING OF THE FLAG  NEVER USED AS CLOTHES, BEDDING, DRAPERY  NEVER USED TO COVER A CEILING  NEVER WRITE OR MARK ON THE FLAG  NEVER USE THE FLAG AS A BASKET TO CATCH, HOLD, CARRY/DELIVER THINGS

PROPER CARE AND HANDLING OF THE FLAG  NEVER USED FOR ADVERTISING –NO EMBROIDERY ONCUSHIONS/HANDERCHIEF –NO PRINTING ON BOXES, PAPER NAPKINS FOR QUICK USE THEN THROW AWAY –NO ADVERTISING SIGNS ON A POLE FROM WHICH THE FLAG IS FLOWN  NEVER USED AS PART OF A COSTUME OR ATHLETIC UNIFORM –EXCEPTION: FLAG PATCH CAN BE PLACED ON A UNIFORM (MILITARY, POLICE, FIREMAN)

PROPER CARE AND HANDLING OF THE FLAG  NEVER FASTEN, DISPLAY, USE OR STORE IN A WAY THAT WOULD DAMAGE OR DIRTY THE FLAG  DISPOSE OF A FLAG THAT CAN NO LONGER BE USED (DIRTY, TORN) BY BURNING –CUT THE BLUE FIELD FROM THE FLAG –PUT THE TWO PIECES TOGETHER –BURN THE TWO PIECES IN PRIVATE

CONCLUSION  DEVELOPMENT OF THE U.S. FLAG  MEANING OF THE COLORS AND SYMBOLS  TODAY’S FLAG

CONCLUSION  WHEN TO DISPLAY THE FLAG –TIMES, DATES  HOW TO DISPLAY THE FLAG –PROCESSIONS, PARADES –STATIONARY  HOW TO PROPERLY CARE FOR AND HANDLE THE U.S. FLAG