First National Flag Used In The American Revolution

As the Declaration Of Independence was being signed on July 4, 1776, surprisingly enough there was no official flag.

The “Grand Union Flag” was the first unofficial national flag. This flag very much resembled the flag of a company; called “The East India Company”. It is ironic that this British company did trade with India and China. It seems that history is bound to repeat itself.

The Grand Union Flag was used unofficially in the American Revolution, and the design was used in the making of the first official flag.

It was on June 14, 1777 that the Second Continental Congress passed a flag resolution which would try to establish a design. The first design was actually not used, as originally planned.

Legend has it that Betsy Ross sewed the first flag, from a sketch handed to her by George Washington, which may turn out to be untrue. There is controversy surrounding the first design.

Oddly enough, Francis Hopkinson also claimed to have designed the first official flag in 1777. Hopkinson signed the Declaration of Independence.

The flag has changed 26 times since the original. The 27th flag of the United States became the official flag on July 4th, 1960. This flag represents all fifty states, and is the longest edition that has been in use.

Another interesting fact is that the Stars and Stripes flag, containing the thirteen stars and stripes, was brought to Canton, Guǎngzhōu, China, on a merchant ship, in 1785. The ship was called the “Empress Of China”, and it would be the first vessel to carry the American flag on the seas that bordered China.

The Chinese people called it the “flower flag”. America is now called Fah-kay-gawk, or “flower-flag country”. An American is Fah-kay-gawk-yun, or “flower-flag country man”. This is Cantonese. In Mandarin, flower-flag nation is Huāqíguó.

Try to challenge yourself and purchase an American flag made in the United States, and not in China. That is, if you can find one made in the U.S. –