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American Flag Myths - Part 2
Myth #3: Americans have always flown the flag –
Prior to the Civil War, flags were really only flown in an official capacity on ships, forts and government buildings. It was considered unusual for a citizen to fly a flag on their house or carriage,
The Civil War quickly changed Americans’ attitudes about displaying the flag.
“At the beginning of the Civil War there was an overwhelming amount of patriotism, and very soon after, people were flying flags everywhere to show their support for the Union cause. The flag has continued to this day to have a particularly important place in the fabric of America.
Myth #4: Red, white and blue have official meanings –
‘The colors of the flag were not assigned any official meaning when the first flag was adopted in 1777. The traditional meanings assigned to the colors may have arisen five years later, in 1782, when Charles Thompson, the secretary of the Continental Congress, waxed poetic about the colors in the Great Seal of the United States, which he helped design. Thompson described the red in the seal as representing hardiness and valor; the white, purity and innocence; and the blue, vigilance, perseverance and justice.
As for the origin of the red-white-and-blue color scheme, it’s likely no coincidence that the British flag bore the same three colors.’
Myth #5: It’s against the law to burn the American flag –
Well, it was until the landmark case of Texas v. Johnson in 1989, the Supreme Court ruled that desecrating the American flag is a form of speech protected by the First Amendment. Defendant Gregory Lee Johnson had burned a flag in an act of protest at the 1984 Republican National Convention in Dallas. Prior to that ruling it was, indeed, illegal to burn the flag.
Many have tried to challenge since 1989 but have been unsuccessful.
More American Flag Myths coming soon on www.eagle-flag.com.
American Flag Myths
Myth #1: Betsy Ross created the first American Flag
We have all probably heard the story of George Washington walking into Betsy Ross’ upholstery shop and asking her to sew a flag. We have also all seen the picture of Betsy sitting in her living room hand making the flag. The truth is that this story did not surface until nearly 100 years after the flag was made when her grandson, William Canby, told the Pennsylvania Historical Society that Betsy told him she made it just before her death in 1836 when he was 11 years old.
The fact that he was much older when he decided to tell the story raised some flags, (pun intended!) Some fact checking was done and it was determined that Washington was commanding an Army at this time, and was rarely in Philadelphia. The first flags were also made for naval forces and not ground troops which Washington led.
So, who was the seamstress of the first American flag? The answer appears to be lost in history!
Myth #2: The flag has always had stars and stripes
America’s earliest flags did not have stars and stripes. A flag used in 1775, for example, did have stripes, but it displayed the British Union Jack crosses in union, the top left corner of the flag. The primary use of a national flag at that time was for naval ships to be able to recognize each other.
Congress did not adopt the flag with 13 stars and 13 stripes as the official U.S. flag until 1777.
More American Flag Myths coming soon on www.eagle-flag.com.
Buy American...Flags!
Did you know that well over 10 Million American Flags are imported into the USA each year?
Our government took note of this and bipartisan members of the House introduced the “All-American Flag Act” in June 2017. This bill would require all flags purchased by the federal government to be manufactured entirely in the United States. This means everything from the raw materials through to the craftsmanship would be grown and produced here in the United States. This never made it through the senate!
Yes, today federal agencies are bound by the “Buy American Act” which requires that a minimum of 50% of the material that makes up a flag is made in America, but this legislation is only for federal agencies which purchase just a little over 100,000 flags per year.
Most of the 10 million imported flags are not the large commercial variety found at car dealerships and banks, but are the ones you see hanging on your front porch. Smaller 3’ x 5’ flags and 4’ x 6’ flags make up the majority. So, the next time you are not happy with how long your flag lasts, or the color just doesn’t look right, you might understand why. Make sure you buy your flag from a supplier that can assure you that their product is 100% made in the USA! Try www.eagle-flag.com for example.
Eagle Flag Installs First 100' Aluminum Flagpole
We are excited to share with you a recent project we completed with Deerin Companies in Lancaster PA, for the installation of a 100’ aluminum flagpole at the intersection of Rt 222 and Rt.30. This beautiful pole enables customers to go 20’ higher than they could previously to show their American pride at new heights!
If you have already driven past this pole, you will know what we are talking about. If not, take a drive by at night to catch the best view of the 20’ x 30’ flag flying 100’ in the air with an LED lighting package illuminating the stars and stripes. It really is a site to see and shows the true pride that Lancaster County shows in their country! The horns honking on the highway showing support during the installation process proves this point.
For more information on the new 100′ Aluminum flagpole please visit our website or give us a call.
Our 10th Downtown Open Banner Project! Thank you Ephrata, PA!
It is hard to believe that we just finished our 10th Downtown Open Banner project!
These banners were originally created in conjunction with Kelly Withum for Lititz, PA,voted the “Coolest small town in America” in 2013. Word spread quickly and we started to receive interest from towns all across the US. Each project is different and exciting and we are so happy to hear feedback from our clients when the banners are hung.
To dress up your downtown or to learn more about our custom banners and poles, please visit our website or give us a call.
Welcome to the Eagle Flag Blog Page!
What to Expect from our Blog posts
Eagle Flag and Supply hopes that you enjoy our blog page. We look forward to sharing informative content regarding flags, flagpoles, installations, repairs and more. We also look forward to sharing patriotic stories, some occasional humor, and some insight into our small family run business.
Ever want to know what size flag you should fly on your pole, why we fly flags on certain holidays, or maybe the meaning of a particular flag? Follow us as we share these interesting details, honor old glory, and have some fun with flags!
Be sure to visit us at Eagle-Flag.com