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9 Interesting Facts You May Not Know About the American Flag
We will discuss interesting facts about the American Flag which is symbolic of the fabric of American society as a nation;
We will discuss interesting facts about the American Flag which is symbolic of the fabric of American society as a nation; it has been carried far and wide as a symbol of American pride, all the while serving as an emblem of freedom they hold dear.
No doubt, the American Flag has gone through 27 different iterations and plays a big part in the lives of Americans and American culture.
Here are 9 interesting facts to know about the American Flag:
It was adopted in 1777
The American Congress adopted the Stars and Stripes as the country’s flag on June 14, 1777. According to The Culture Trip, the first official version of the flag (1777) displayed 13 stripes and 13 stars, for the 13 original American colonies.
Red, White, and Blue
The colours of the flag have important meanings. Red symbolizes hardiness and valour, white symbolizes purity and innocence, and blue represents vigilance, perseverance and justice.
6 American Flags have made it to the moon.
You have probably seen Neil Armstrong on the moon with an American Flag, but he is not the only one to plant one on the surface of the moon. Five additional Apollo missions, 12, 14, 15, 16, and 17, ended with an astronaut placing a flag on the moon.
The image of Buzz Aldrin on the moon with an American flag is one of the most iconic photos in American history. The U.S. planted the first flag on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission in 1969. Since then, five more U.S. flags have been planted on the moon during subsequent missions.
The Flag has a national day of recognition.
Flag Day, which celebrates the anniversary of the Flag Resolution of 1777, was established by the Proclamation of President Woodrow Wilson on May 30th, 1916 after years of local celebrations.
The Flag should never touch the ground.
According to U.S. Code, you should never let the flag touch the ground or water. The flag is often flown at half-staff during periods of mourning or national days of remembrance. A few other notable rules say you should never: display a flag upside down (except during times of dire distress or danger); carry it flat or horizontally; or use it as wearing apparel, bedding, or drapery.
Flags should be “destroyed in a dignified way.”
Sincerely many consider burning the flag a sign of disrespect, that’s not always the case. In fact, the National Flag Foundation notes that this is actually the preferred way to dispose of an American flag that is damaged or worn beyond repair.
The U.S. Flag Code says, “The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.”
The current 50-state flag was designed by a high school student.
Lol, who knew the American flag was designed by a teenager?! In 1958, then-17-year-old Robert G. Heft of Lancaster, Ohio submitted the design in a contest. However, President Dwight Eisenhower chose Robert’s design from over 1,500 other submissions.
More stars than stripes
Hitherto, America has been adding stripes and stars to the flag when welcoming new states. When Kentucky and Vermont joined the union, the flag took on two more stars from the original, so that from 1795 to 1818, 15 stripes and 15 stars graced the flag.
Anticipating a crowded field of stripes, lawmakers decided to honour each new state with a star, and leave the stripes at the original 13, after 1818.
The American Flag can be displayed 24 hours a day
Federal law states that the flag should be displayed only between sunrise and sunset. However, you can display the flag for all 24 hours if you use lighting to ensure that it can be seen in the dark, the National Flag Foundation says.
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