Historical Flags
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The Continental Navy used
this flag, with the warning, "Don't Tread on Me," upon its inception. |
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The "Grand Union" shown
here is also called The "Cambridge Flag." It was flown over Prospect
Hill, overlooking Boston, January 1, 1776. In the canton (the square
in the corner) are the crosses of Saint Andrew and Saint George,
borrowed from the British flag. |
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The "Betsy Ross" flag. The
Flag Resolution did not specify the arrangement of the stars nor the
specific proportions of the flag. So many 13-star flags were used, as
seen from the next several pictures. |
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At the Battle of Bennington
in August 1777 were two famous flags. One, shown here, is called the
Bennington Flag or the Fillmore Flag. Nathaniel Fillmore took this
flag home from the battlefield. The flag was passed down through
generations of Fillmores, including Millard, and today it can be seen
at Vermont's Bennington Museum. The other (not pictured) has a green
field and a blue canton with 13 gold-painted stars arranged in rows.
General John Stark gave his New Hampshire troops a rallying speech
that would be the envy of any football coach today. He said, "My men,
yonder are the Hessians. They were brought for seven pounds and ten
pence a man. Are you worth more? Prove it. Tonight, the American flag
floats from yonder hill or Molly Stark sleeps a widow!" |
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1818 -- Flag with 20 stars
and 13 stripes (it remains at 13 hereafter) Tennessee (June 1, 1796),
Ohio (March 1, 1803), Louisiana (April 30, 1812), Indiana (December
11, 1816), Mississippi (December 10, 1817) |

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