The first official U.S. flag had 13 stars representing the
original colonies on a blue background. Thirteen stripes alternating in red and
white made up the rest of the flag. The number of stripes still numbers
thirteen.
There were several variations of the flag that were flown
before and after the Continental Congress accepted the official look on June
14, 1777. Some of the variations continued putting the 13 stars in a circle while
other versions set the stars into uniform rows.
The red, white and blue colors had been consistent years
before the official ruling about the looks of the flag. Many different opinions
suggested what each color represented. The meanings of the colors weren’t
officially named until the government created the United States Seal.
The Continental Congress authorized an official seal during
their historic session on July 4, 1776. It must have been a very busy day as it
included the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Creating a seal for
the new country might have been an afterthought, but it was as significant a
decision as the move to standardize the design of the flag the following year. The
final design of the seal was not accepted until six years later on June 20,
1782. That’s when the meanings of the red, white and blue became official.
Charles Thompson, Secretary of the Continental Congress,
reported to the Congress why the three colors, the stars and the stripes were
used to create the seal:
“White signifies purity, and innocence; red, hardiness and
valor; and blue signifies vigilance, perseverance and justice. The star is a
symbol of the heavens and the divine goal to which man has aspired from time
immemorial. The stripe is symbolic of the rays of light emanating from the
sun.”
The same definitions of the elements in the U.S. Seal apply
to the country’s flag. Our Founding Fathers must have realized that the U.S.
Seal and Old Glory would both function as material representations of the
bravery that led to our country’s freedom. Designing them to look similar was
an intentional decision.
Several variations of the seal are used in the departments
of the United States. The President and the Vice President both have their own seals
that identify the Executive Office. The appropriate seal is always positioned
on the front of the podium used by the number one and number two top
executives.
The Judicial Branch has its own seal as does the Legislative
Branch. Each branch of the military has its own distinctive seal. The various
seals look similar and are easily recognizable as symbols of the United States.
When a seal is transported, it’s carried in a protective
covering and treated with respect. Flags are moved much more often and also require
special treatment.
The flag of the United States is folded in a particular way
each time it’s lowered. This same procedure is used when a flag is taken off
the coffin of a veteran. Then the flag is folded and handed to a family member
in its unique form.
When folding a flag in the correct way, it resembles a
triangle with only the blue field showing. Tradition holds that the
three-corned shape represents hats used by military people throughout the
country’s battles during the Revolutionary War and later.
Why is Election Day on the first Tuesday of November? Read
the answer in this space during the last week of the month.
Check my website, www.joevlatino.com,
for information about my book of short stories, “The Device.” You can also read a
piece of flash fiction there.
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