June 14 is Flag Day

June 14 is Flag Day in America. It’s a day to hang your stars and stripes to show respect and unity for our country. But do you know how Flag Day came to be?

June 14, 1777 is the day that the United States officially adopted the flag as its national symbol. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed a presidential proclamation that designated June 14 to be annually observed as Flag Day.

As you have heard, Betsy Ross is given credit for designing the very first American flag. However, there is no real evidence to prove her part in creating the flag, nor is there evidence that she didn’t. It could just be folklore!

Here are a few interesting facts about the U.S. flag:

• The U.S. flag has been modified 26 times since the first design in 1777.

• The flag that we know, with 50 stars, was designed by a high school student in 1958 as part of a contest.

• The colors on the flag are symbolic.

White = purity

Red = valor

Blue = justice & perseverance

Here are some links to more information about Flag Day. Reader’s Digest has a fun article here, and you can also read more at this link.  If you want to show some love for Flag Day this year, use #NationalFlagDay on social media. Happy Flag Day to all!

Photo source: pexels.com