A flag of U.S It is one of the country's national symbols. It is formed by 13 red and white horizontal stripes, which represent the British colonies that formed the territory. American state until its independence, and a blue rectangle that contains 50 white stars, which represent the states of federation.
This flag was officially adopted in 1777 and has undergone modifications over the years to compose all new states. The configuration of the flag as we know it today was established in 1960 with the addition of the 50th star representing the state of Hawaii. There is, in the United States, a day dedicated to the flag, which is Flag Day, celebrated on June 14.
Read too: Flag of France — one of the most important symbols of the French nation
Topics of this article
- 1 - What is the meaning of the flag of the United States?
- 2 - History of the flag of the United States
- 3 - Flag Day
- 4 - The United States of America
- 5 - Curiosities about the flag of the United States
What does the US flag mean?
The flag of the United States is one of the country's national symbols. It consists of a larger rectangle formed by 13 red (seven) and white (six) horizontal stripes, interspersed. In the first quadrant, or upper left half, is a blue rectangle with 50 white stars.
Each stripe represents one of the thirteen colonies that formed the territory of the United States when the country was a colony of Great Britain. In turn, the stars of the flag represent the 50 states that make up the federation.The colors of the flag, red, blue and white, each have their own particular meaning. According to the United States government, they represent:
Red: valor and bravery.
Blue: vigilance, perseverance and justice.
White: purity and innocence.
Do not stop now... There's more after the publicity ;)
History of the United States Flag
With the exception of colors, the flag of the United States it didn't always look like we know it today. In fact, it only came to completion in the year 1960, when the last star was added. representing the state of Hawaii, which had been recognized as a state of the federation a year earlier, in 1959. However, to understand the composition of the American flag, we need to go back in time a little, to the period when the United States became an independent nation.
The first flag of the United States as a sovereign nation was officially adopted on June 14, 1777, one year after the independence from the country, which took place on July 4, 1776. The pavilion already contained the horizontal stripes representing the British colonies, but the stars were also 13. Before that period, each of the colonies had its own flag.
On May 1, 1795, the American flag began to have two more stars and two more stripes, representing the new states of Kentucky and Vermont, but soon the stripes returned to their original number, which was determined in the year of 1818. At the time, the flag consisted of 20 stars in total. The flag's official measurements were determined in 1912, as well as the arrangement of the stars, but that last aspect has been changed to accommodate the new additions.
As new states were incorporated into the federation, their stars were added to the pavilion. This measure was allowed by the US Congress, and, as previously mentioned, the last star was added on July 4, 1960, totaling the 50 states that make up the country with the official recognition of Hawaii, an island state located in the Pacific Ocean.
Flag Day
Flag Day, which in Portuguese means Flag Day, is the day the United States celebrates its flag and was declared in the country on June 14, 1916 by its then President Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924), but was only officially and permanently established by Congress in the year 1949. The celebration then takes place on the day June 14. Although it is called National Flag Day, the date does not correspond to a national holiday, such as Independence Day, for example. The only exception is the state of Pennsylvania, where Flag Day is a public holiday.
Know more: November 19 — Brazilian Flag Day
The USA
The United States, or United States of America (USA), is a country located in the subcontinent of North America, bordering Canada and Mexico. The national capital is the city of Washington D.C. It is an extensive territory, the fourth largest in the world in area, bathed by two oceans, the Atlantic and the Pacific.
There is a wide diversity of climates in the country, ranging from polar to the tropical, and consequently of natural landscapes, with the presence of temperate forests, tundra, steppes, deserts and mangroves.
The country's population is currently 337 million inhabitants, placing the United States in the position of third most populous country in the world. Its biggest city is not the capital, but New York, where more than 18 million people live.
It is considered a world economic power, common GDP of 25 trillion dollars, according to data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Its economy is highly diversified and modern, focused on technology and tertiary sector in general, responsible for 80% of the country's income.
In addition to being one of the most important financial centers in the world, it should be noted that the United States great influence on international politics and the culture of other nations.
Facts about the flag of the United States
The flag of the United States is also called Old Glory (Old Glory) and The Stars and Stripes (Stars and Stripes).
The Pledge of Allegiance was written in 1892 by James B. Upham and Francis Bellamy.
The national anthem of the United States was inspired by its flag. Entitled “The Starry Flag” (The Star-Spangled Banner), it was initially a poem written by Francis Scott Key in 1814, in the midst of the Anglo-American War, after the poet saw the flag flaming at Fort McHenry, in the city of Baltimore, during a bombardment. It was made official as an anthem in 1931.
There is an American flag on the surface of the moon. It was placed there by astronauts on the Apollo 11 mission, which marked the arrival of humans on the moon in 1969.
By Paloma Guitarrara
Geography Teacher
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