American Flag Facts

betsy ross flag

American Flag Facts
13 colony flag

The journals of the Continental Congress indicate that Francis Hopkinson, a Congressman from New Jersey and patriot, was the true designer of the flag - Betsy Ross doing the sewing from her upholstery shop on Arch Street in Philadelphia.

Until the Executive Order of June 24, 1912, neither the order of the stars nor the proportions of the flag was prescribed. Consequently, flags dating before this period sometimes show unusual arrangements of the stars and odd proportions, these features being left to the discretion of the flag maker

Official Acts Relating to the Flag

June 14, 1777

The Continental Congress passed the first Flag Act stating, "Resolved, That the flag of the United States be made of thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation."
In 1949, President Harry S Truman officially named June 14th Flag Day in commemoration of this event.

January 13, 1794

Act which stated that after May, 1795 there would be 15 stripes and 15 stars.

April 4, 1818

Act signed by President Monroe stated that there would be 13 stripes and one star for each state. New state's stars would be added on July 4th after their admission to the Union.

June 24, 1912

For the first time, flags became standardized with specific proportions and the arrangement of the stars into six rows of eight each according to an Executive Order from President Taft.

January 3, 1959

An Executive Order from President Eisenhower stated that the stars would be arranged in seven rows of seven stars each.

August 21, 1959

An Executive Order from President Eisenhower resulted in the stars being arranged in nine rows staggered horizontally and 11 rows staggered vertically.

50 star flag

Robert G. Heft designed the current flag as a school project when Hawaii and Alaska were being discussed as possible states. He received a B minus for the assignment because his teacher said it lacked creativity. His teacher told him he would receive a higher grade if it was adopted by Congress, so he sent it on to his representative, where it eventually became the nations flag.

	American Flag Facts
The journals of the Continental Congress indicate that Francis Hopkinson, a Congressman from New Jersey and patriot, was the true designer of the flag - Betsy Ross doing the sewing from her upholstery shop on Arch Street in Philadelphia. Until the Executive Order of June 24, 1912, neither the order of the stars nor the proportions of the flag was prescribed. Consequently, flags dating before this period sometimes show unusual arrangements of the stars and odd proportions, these features being left to the discretion of the flag maker
Official Acts Relating to the Flag
June 14, 1777 The Continental Congress passed the first Flag Act stating, "Resolved, That the flag of the United States be made of thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation." In 1949, President Harry S Truman officially named June 14th Flag Day in commemoration of this event.	January 13, 1794 Act which stated that after May, 1795 there would be 15 stripes and 15 stars.	April 4, 1818 Act signed by President Monroe stated that there would be 13 stripes and one star for each state. New state's stars would be added on July 4th after their admission to the Union.
June 24, 1912 For the first time, flags became standardized with specific proportions and the arrangement of the stars into six rows of eight each according to an Executive Order from President Taft.	January 3, 1959 An Executive Order from President Eisenhower stated that the stars would be arranged in seven rows of seven stars each.	August 21, 1959 An Executive Order from President Eisenhower resulted in the stars being arranged in nine rows staggered horizontally and 11 rows staggered vertically.
Robert G. Heft designed the current flag as a school project when Hawaii and Alaska were being discussed as possible states. He received a B minus for the assignment because his teacher said it lacked creativity. His teacher told him he would receive a higher grade if it was adopted by Congress, so he sent it on to his representative, where it eventually became the nations flag.