Carrot Top

Independence Day celebrates the birthday of the United States of America. The day commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, in Philadelphia. This year we’re celebrating America’s 233rd birthday. She’s getting older, but she’s still as beautiful as she’s ever been.The Fourth of July is a time for red white and blue. It’s a time for what I like to call The Four P’s: patriotism, picnics, parades, and potato salad! It’s also time for barbecue’sand hot dogs, but those don’t start with “P.” Throw in an evening fireworks display and it’s a day that memories are made of. But before we cut in to mom’s apple pie we’ve got some history to reflect upon.


Who’s got two thumbs and loves taxes? Um, no one that has to pay ‘em, that’s for sure. But King George III of England had the tax loving thumbs, oh yeah! The collecting type of thumbs and, well, “thumbing” through a big stack of money in their hand. That was King George III of England. In 1774 the people of the original thirteen colonies had enough, and The Revolutionary War began.With a government in its infancy, colonists (and the world) played witness to the swiftest maturity process a country could possibly experience. It started with the colonies’ argument of Taxation without Representation. Soon after, the King of England sent extra troops to help control any rebellion.


In September,1774, the First Continental Congress was formed; an all-star lineup of delegates with the likes of George Washington, John Adams, and Samuel Adams. The concern at the forefront were the Intolerable Acts; laws passed by British Parliament to increase tax revenue in the American Colonies.Less than a year passed when, in April, 1775, British troops advanced on Concord, Massachusetts. The next thing that happened – I suppose – can be considered the earliest form of Homeland Security: Paul Revere sounded the alarm, “The British are coming! The British are coming!” as he rode horseback through the streets. The ensuing battle of Concord was the unofficial beginning of the war for independence.


Within a year a Second Continental Congress was formed, as the First continental Congress could not reach a common ground or resolution. By June, 1776, their efforts reached yet another impasse, and formal declaration of independence committee was formed to expedite their purpose. Headed by Thomas Jefferson, the committee included John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Robert R. Livingston and Roger Sherman. A first draft of our Declaration of Independence was penned by Thomas Jefferson, with contributions by Adams and Franklin, and presented to Congress on June 28. Six days later, following several meetings and changes to the first draft, a vote was taken on the afternoon of July 4th, and the Declaration was signed. It’s said that John Hancock signed his name with “flair” so that King George can read it without glasses. On July 4, 1776, the colonists proclaimed independence from Britain and democracy in the United States was established.The freedom fought for by our founding fathers is instilled, not only in the hearts and minds of Americans, but by the droves of people who leave their homeland to come to the “land of the free and the home of the brave.” The United States today is a diverse nation made up of many different nationalities. One thing unites us all: freedom. The symbol of our freedom is iconic, and arguably the most recognizable of symbols in the world. It’s our American Flag, and on this Fourth of July, it not only should be pledged, but carried, displayed, and celebrated.

Regardless of your plans on this year’s 233rd celebration of our freedom: attending a parade, throwing a barbecue, enjoying the weekend at your cottage, or simply attending a fireworks display, take your American flag with you. Mini American flags are great for mobile activities, and they can be displayed in many ways. You could also wear a patriotic flag pin on your shirt, just in case you’d like to have your hands free to eat a hamburger or hot dog from the grill. Going on a road trip? Get yourself an American car flag! Easy as pie! Apple pie! And just one more thing to consider on this Fourth of July… respect fireworks and the warning labels that come with them. A mini flag doesn’t necessarily require that you hold it with all five fingers, but it’s much easier to do when your hands aren’t covered in bandages. Have a great Fourth of July, friends!

What I sat down to write about today is an upcoming holiday. And any holiday that flys my favorite colors it’s definitely worth writing about!!! It’s almost smack dab in between Memorial Day and the Fourth of July. It’s the kind of holiday that, for the most part, you can celebrate every day of the week if you really wanted to. It’s the red, white, and blue kind of holiday. I bet you guessed that it’s an American Holiday. I really hope you did, otherwise I’d have to suggest that you may either be forgetting your history a li’l bit!. I’m talking about Flag Day!

Flag Day is celebrated every June 14th. This year it just so happens to fall on a Sunday, so no days off from work of school. Truthfully, none of us get a day off when Flag Day falls on a weekday. At the present Flag Day is not an official, federal holiday, but it is nationally observed with a fervor. Before I jump head first in to the flag deep end , I think a little Flag Day history is in order.

There are several instances that stake claim at the first observation of Flag Day, according to the US Department of Veteran Affairs. Chronologically, the first is said to have happened in Hartford, Connecticut during the summer of 1861. A more recognized first observance claim of Flag Day fame happened In 1889. On June 14, 1889 (ah-hem… take note of the date) the principal of a New York City school held a ceremony observing the anniversary of the June 14, 1777 resolution. That resolution by the Second Continental Congress approved the first design of the Stars and Stripes. There are a few more "first" claims. One rather far-fetched claim is by the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.

In 1907 The Elks Grand Lodge designated June 14th as Flag Day. According to their story The Elks prompted President Woodrow Wilson to recognize the Order’s observance of Flag Day. It wasn’t until 1949 when President Harry Truman, a member of the Elks, made the proclamation that June 14th would be a day of national observance for Old Glory. Okay… now some parts of that yarn are true: President Woodrow Wilson did in fact issue a proclamation calling for the observance of Flag Day on June 14, 1916. Another proclamation calling for the observance of Flag Day was issued in 1927 by President Calvin Coolidge. It wasn’t until August, 1949 that Congress made Flag Day permanent. President Harry Truman signed a resolution that "the 14th day of June each year is hereby designated as Flag Day.” Oh, brother! What a load of paperwork that must have been!

There’s another batch of first Flag Day claims, but to make the issue as absolute as possible, it was on August 3, 1949, that Congress approved the national observance, and President Harry Truman signed it into law. Alrighty then. Now that we’ve sorted out the history of Flag Day, let’s talk about the fervor of Flag Day, and how you can partake with… well… fever and frill!

First off, Flag Day is a day for the Flag of the United States, so you have to know how to treat our beloved symbol. In short, proper display of the U.S. Flag is from sunrise to sunset on all days as weather permits. The U.S. Flag may also be displayed at night if illuminated by a light. For a complete description of flag etiquette - and when I saw etiquette, I mean LAWS - take a gander at this US Congressional report: http://senate.gov/reference/resources/pdf/RL30243.pdf

So, let’s talk Flag Day observation. How are you going to partake? Big flags, little flags, flag pins, flag stickers on your bumper, car flags that mount on your window, patriotic decor all over your house or building exterior… so many ways! Mini flags!!! You can do anything with a mini flag! Mini flags can be displayed on your desk or counter space, or feel free to carry and wave a mini flag like a true fan! Definitely express your enthusiasm for our flag, our freedom, and the ever present feeling of American pride.

It’s now time to go get ready for the warm summer sun that’s coming and we all know that bring on my second favorite thing, hot dogs! Until next time, which will be my all-time favorite holiday July 4th, don’t forget your flag on the 14th for Flag Day!

Lexi

This year I am gearing up for our annual Memorial Day celebration. On May 25th, I am gathering my mini American flags together and heading down to the parade to see our local troops and veterans marching in honor of our fallen. I’ve always been a fan of the U.S. flag, but this holiday always makes me the proudest to fly it.

As years go by we all experience holidays a bit differently. When we are children we view holidays as a day away from school. When we grow older, a holiday can be a day away from the office, or an extra day to spend time with family. Somewhere in the middle of youth and old age, we learn the true meaning and value of the holidays we observe and celebrate throughout our lives. One holiday that we sometimes lose our sights on is Memorial Day. Each year families take advantage of the extra day off to throw a barbecue, to open the cottage, or drop the boat in the water. Movie studios use Memorial Day weekends as the opening of the Summer movie season. While holidays are what we make of them, none of the things mentioned above pays homage to what Memorial Day really stands for. So, at the risk of sounding like Linus from the Peanut’s Christmas Special, does anyone know what Memorial Day is all about?

The truest meaning of Memorial Day lies within it’s name: Memorial. It’s a day of remembrance. Known as Decoration Day in its earliest account, The observation of Memorial Day in the United States occurs each year on the last Monday in the month of May. Memorial Day commemorates the U.S. men and women who died while in the service of the military.

The roots of Memorial Day trace back to the end of the Civil War; several sources date the first memorial services to the mid-1860’s, with the first observation enacted by liberated slaves in 1865 at the site of a former Confederate prison camp in Charleston. The site was also known as a mass grave for Union soldiers who died in captivity. As the story goes, the freed slaves re-interred the dead from the mass grave, dug individual plots within a fenced graveyard. On May 30, 1868, they returned to the graveyard with flowers and decorated the individual graves, thereby creating the first Decoration Day. A parade from the area was followed by a picnic. Many other communities set aside a day to mark the end of the war as a memorial to those who had died. Communities known to have celebrated an early form of Memorial Day included: Sharpsburg, Maryland, Charleston, South Carolina, and Richmond, Virginia, among some two dozen others. Their observances happened around the first Decoration Day, and the several Confederate Memorial Days. In more modern times Memorial Day was expanded after World War I to include American casualties of any war or military action.

Today people observe Memorial Day a number of ways. First and foremost, Memorial Day is a nationally observed holiday. In addition to national observances, communities hold memorials for fallen soldiers who were from that town. It’s commonplace that, included with remembering those lost while in the service of the armed forces, local fire and police departments honor members lost in the line of duty. Members of a community who, at any time in their lives, served in the armed forces or as an emergency responder, can be seen marching in a parade. They can be identified not only by the uniforms they wear, but by the flags they carry. Each member will march in the company of their brothers and sisters, flying the flags of their branches. Some may carry more special of specific flags including POW/MIA flags indicating the prisoners of war, or to remember a fellow soldier who was. Another would be a Service banner or flag, indicating that a family member is currently on active duty. Parades in many communities are followed by a picnic at a local park in which the whole town is invited to attend. Just don’t forget to carry a mini U.S. flag… you don’t want to be left out! everyone is going to have one!!! :-)

More personally, those who have lost a member of their family, friend, colleague, fellow soldier or municipal emergency worker, may commemorate the day by visiting cemeteries and memorials. Uniformly, a national moment of remembrance takes place at 3 p.m. each Memorial Day. Traditions include flying the American Flag at half-staff from dawn until noon local time, and the placement of a miniature or cemetery marking American Flag on graves of the fallen.

Memory. That is what it’s all about. It’s not about car races, movies with special effects, long car rides to the amusement park, or a day off from school or work. Memorial Day is about remembering the brave men and women who sacrificed their lives so that we can have the opportunity to see that movie, root for the driver in that car race, and to take that long ride to Six Flags. and on Monday, May 25, 2009, when you see the American Flag at half staff, don’t forget it.

Sunshine, warmer air, longer days…. ahh, lazy days a’comin! I love Spring! Summer is even a better sequel, but we have a couple months before we can start celebrating with fireworks and picnics with potato salad and hot dog barbeques. Nevertheless, with the nicer weather begins the parade season. And no, I’m not talking about the festive Memorial Day parades. Those are awesome, but we’re going to talk about those next time around. I’m talking about a different memorial day that’s been around for a long time, but you might not know a lot about. It’s Peace Officers Memorial Day and Police Week.

Now, not every area holds a parade, so you would benefit by looking at your local newspaper before grabbing your miniature American Flag or police department flag, and heading down to the corner of Main St. You might end up waiting for a loooong time for a string of police cars go past. In fact, much of the holiday focuses around the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial wall in Washington, D.C. On that wall are the names of the more than 17,000 law enforcement officers who have been killed in the line of duty.

At 12:00 PM on May 15, people take part or participate in the memorial, especially those who lost family members, friends or colleagues who were local officers, by lowering their flags in remembrance of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. Some police departments also may hold an annual law enforcement memorial ceremony. Remember the proclamation I told you about a little bit ago? The one that George W. Bush signed in 2002? Well, it also encourages state and local governments, and the people, to observe the day with ceremonies and activities. So, if Peace Officers Memorial Day and Police Week sounds like a new thing to you, and it’s something you would like to take part of, check your local listings, grab your mini-flags, and head toward the flashing lights!

I was listening to the radio earlier this week. Well, in all honesty, I listen to the radio nearly every day of my life. But, the particulars in this story happened a couple days back. It wasn’t anything significant, really, and in fact it was something rather regular. Another listener called the deejay and asked him to play a song they’d wanted to hear. A request! That got me to thinking a little bit, because people request songs on the radio all the time, but no one ever calls TV stations to request shows they’d like to see. Haha! Wouldn’t that be incredible if we could do that?!?! Then something ironic happened to me. Not long after I’d heard the caller request a song, I opened an email from a friend who read my last blog, and they made a request to me! I was like, whoa, man, get off my brain wave! Anyway, my friend told me that she enjoyed reading about the origins of the individual branches of the military, and wanted to hear a little bit more about the Army, Navy, and Marines. So… out by request… hee hee!!!

In my last blog, I talked about Armed Forces Day, and how it’s kind of a consolidated birthday for the five branches of the U.S. military. Of the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps, the Army is the first to celebrate a birthday. It was founded on June 14, 1775, when the Continental Congress authorized enlistment of riflemen to serve the United Colonies for one year. But the Army has sort of an unofficial birthday as well. Just a couple years earlier, on March 3, 1773, The Continental Army was created by the Continental Congress as a unified army for the states to fight Great Britain during the Revolutionary War, with George Washington as its commander. It’s the branch of the armed forces responsible for land-based military operations. In June, 1784, Congress created the United States Army to replace the Continental Army, which was disbanded at the conclusion of the war. Today, the U.S. Army is the largest of our military branches, behind the strength of over one million soldiers between the Regular Army, National Guard, and Army Reserve.

Not so long after the creation of the Continental Army, a Navy was also established. Not long at all, in fact. A little less than four months separate the birth of the U.S. Navy (October 13, 1775) from the U.S. Army. George Washington was also integral in the creation of the Navy. Seeing that the English were arriving to North America by boats, it made tactical sense to protect shipping routes in the early stages of the Revolutionary War. The Navy also shares a similar history to that of the early Continental Army. Not long after the conclusion of the war, the Navy was all but disbanded in order to save money.

The roots of the U.S. Marine Corps go hand in hand with the Navy. Logically, you would have to think so, right? Marine. It’s an adjective meaning, of the sea. In fact, the word “marine” means “navy” in several European languages. The Marine Corps was founded to serve as an infantry unit aboard naval vessels, responsible for the security of the ship and crew. Formed by Captain Samuel Nicholas, two battalions of Continental Marines (the early predecessor to today’s USMC) were established on November 10, 1775. The mission of the Continental Marines had multiple purposes, but their most important duty was as a security force, protecting the Captain of a ship and his officers. During naval engagements surrounding the Revolutionary War, Marine sharp shooters sat at the tops of the ships’ masts, and were supposed to shoot the opponent’s officers, gunners, and helmsmen. Like the Continental Navy, the Continental Marines were dissolved shortly after the conclusion of the war, and 15 years would pass before our second President, John Adams, would reestablish the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps.

As far as flags are considered, each branch of the military have different designs.

Playin’ the hits… takin’ your requests… call me now at 555-FLAG. LOL! Haha! Seriously though, I do love history, reading about it, and retelling it. So, if any of you, my faithful readers, would like to “request” a topic, gimme a shout. ;-) I’m always up for learning some new flag or Patriotic information so send me your feedback or leave me a comment!
Lexi

Consolidation. It’s not an unheard-of concept these days. In fact, consolidation is in use by the United States Government for several things. Doubly, my previous blog had a little bit to do with the idea of consolidation with respect to President’s Day. Because George Washington’s and Abraham Lincoln’s birthdays are so close together, the U.S. Government slapped the two of them together under one National holiday. The same concept was utilized to celebrate the individual days of recognition for each branch of our Armed Services .

Just like our President’s, the individual branches of the United States military celebrate a birthday. The oldest of the branches is the Army, first formed (or born) on June 14, 1775. The Navy and Marine Corps were born the same year, a few months later; the Navy on October 13, and the Marines on November 10. I suppose you could say they are triplets… hee hee! Anyway, before he was our first President, George Washington in 1773 was appointed commander of the Continental Army, established by the Continental Congress; a unified army for the states to fight England. Near the same time George was commanding the ground troops, Washington was also integral in the creation of the Navy. Seeing that the English were arriving to North America by boats, it made tactical sense to protect shipping routes in the early stages of the Revolutionary War. The Marine Corps’s roots also lie with the Revolutionary War. The Corps was formed by the Second Continental Congress in November, 1775.

The Coast Guard was born on August 4, 1790. I know, right? It’s a lot older than I thought it was, too! It’s interesting, really… the roots of the Coast Guard lie with Alexander Hamilton and the Department of the Treasury, as odd as that might sound. In fact, the Coast Guard was really the only form of maritime protection the United States had for a while. You see, shortly after the Revolutionary War, the Navy was downsized and nearly decommissioned. The standing reason for the break-up of the Navy had to do with the costs of maintaining ships. Talk about consolidation! Whoa, Nelly! So until its re-establishment in 1798, Alexander Hamilton’s Revenue Cutter Service was the only naval force. It was established to collect taxes from smugglers, crack down on piracy; while they were at it, they might as well rescue anyone in distress.

The Air Force is the little brother of the five branches of the military. Any guess as to why that is? I’ll give you a second to think about it… **insert Jeopardy theme music here** …times up! Airplanes!!! The technology for the other branches of the military were available in the 18th Century, but air travel was not to become a mass reality until over 100 years afterward. The Air Force was officially put in to service in 1947. Wait… 1947? Seems late to have an air force, right? I mean, we had planes flying in the first and second World Wars, right? Well, yes, we did, but they were flying for the Army at the time. It was not until September 18, 1947 that the USAF became a separate military service.

Okay, so that’s the Cliff’s Notes version of our military branches. So how should they be recognized? Okay, well, wait a second. Sure, recognition comes in all forms. First of all, they all look different. They wear different uniforms, and they obviously do different things, while working together as one. Secondly, to go with the uniforms, they have different emblems, insignias, what have you, to identify the many specialties within each branch. And they all fly a different Armed Forces flag. The flags are pretty cool, and there are so many of them.

So, to get to the original consolidation thingy… with all of our military branches celebrating birthdays, and some of them so close together on the calendar, I suppose it seemed a bit excessive to have so many celebrations each year? I could be wrong about that… personally, I like birthdays, and I could have more than one each year if allowed. LOL! But to kind of trim everything up, or to consolidate things, we celebrate Armed Forces Day on the third Saturday in May. It was created in 1949, and was a result of the consolidation of the military services in the Department of Defense. The first Armed Forces Day was celebrated with parades, open houses, receptions and air shows, and continues to much of the same fanfare today.

PS: I can’t finish up without sending props to the National Guard! They, too, participate in Armed Forces Day, but because of their training schedules, National Guard and Reserve units could celebrate Armed Forces Day/Week over any period in May.

I’ll touch more on the Army, Marine Corps and Navy flags in my next blog to give a little more history about how they really came to be what they are today!

Lexi

Hello, friends. I hope that the last couple of weeks have brought joy and fulfillment to all of you. It seems like we can’t even travel two weeks on the calendrical roller coaster without buzzing past a holiday or two. We just celebrated (while some of us surely ignored) Valentine’s Day on February 14th, and President’s Day followed a couple days later, on February 16th. The latter of the two, President’s Day, got me thinking a little bit about the patriots who founded our great nation, and what it means to be an American.

President’s Day is in recognition of the birthday’s of two of our greatest President’s: George Washington, and Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln’s birthday falls on February 12th, and Washington’s on February 22nd. Over the years, since the first official celebration of Washington’s birthday in 1880, President’s Day has taken on several observances that varied from State to State. Today President’s Day is a federal holiday, celebrated on the third Monday of every February, observing the birthday’s of both Washington and Lincoln.

History lesson aside, thinking of our early American history during the observance of President’s Day led me down the mental path of patriotism. It’s no secret to any of us right now that our country is in the midst of a trying time. The financial strength and viability of the United States is in a pretty pickle. I think we all know someone who is going through a tough time, and it might you who’s reading my blog, right now, who is facing an extreme financial situation due to our sagging economic predicament. Did you know that, in the earliest days of our country, our forefathers and our government were financially destitute? It’s true! We borrowed money from other countries in order to build the United States. Today, it’s some American businesses who are borrowing from the United States government to keep their product lines moving, and to keep their employees paid.

A long time ago the phrase “Buy American” was coined, and it’s meaning and goal was (and continues to be) simple: that consumers choose products and goods manufactured in the United States, by an American company, as opposed to products, goods, and/or services made available by other parts of the world. The goal of it all is to keep the American dollars in circulation within our borders, and strengthening our businesses and government. The United States Government in 1933 saw great power in this idea, and instituted the Buy American Act. It stated that the U.S. Government would prefer U.S. made products over any other in its purchases. Today we live in a global economy and the act of 1933 might be a bit extreme for all purchases and that isolation could cause more economic burden. However it is a powerful thought to look American first, at least ask the question or pay attention to where the products you consume originate. And I feel you should always purchase American flags made in the USA, it is our ultimate symbol of freedom and unity.

Last year, the State of Wisconsin passed a law that U.S. flags displayed at public buildings and facilities be made in America. It makes lots of sense, doesn’t it? I mean, what good would it be to our country if the manufacturer’s stitching on the bottom of our most beloved emblem read, “Made in China?” States, including Tennessee and Arizona (among others) already had similar laws. Minnesota took a more stern approach in 2007: all U.S. flags sold in the State are required to be made in America, and the penalties under that law are pretty stiff for anyone who violates it.

Made in America. It’s a phrase that we hear just about everywhere, and it’s really starting to take on a whole new meaning for some people, at least for those in Minnesota. Buy American (flags)… or go to jail? Yikes! It really doesn’t have to get to that extreme though, ya know? It really is easy enough to get American-made products (especially U.S. and State flags) from solid companies here at home.

Call it what you want: Buy American, Made in America, Patriot Spending, or any one of the coined phrases… all of them pretty much have the same meaning. and the meaning is purely simple and clear…help yourself, help your brother, sister, neighbor, and your nation by patronizing local, American businesses. Think about it. The next revolution could start with the next $20 you spend. Do you know where it’s going?

Lexi

Call me the luckiest girl on the planet. Really! I am, without a doubt, super lucky! This past year I have been most fortunate to attend a couple groundbreaking, historical events. And as historical as they have been, there had also been an enormous outpouring of patriotism associated with them.

This past Summer I went to Beijing for the Olympic games. I scored tickets to the opening and closing ceremonies in the Bird’s Nest, and I got to see Michael Phelps win one of his eight gold medals in the games. It was the first one, actually: the 400 meter individual medley. What’s even cooler, or at least just as cool, is that President Bush was also at the event. The President met with Mikey after he got his medal, and while posing for a photo, President Bush held up a little American Flag. Pretty cool stuff! It’s hard to believe that just five months later I would attend another event that would set records.

Just this past month I made a pilgrimage to Washington, D.C. for the Presidential Inauguration. It was an event like no other I had ever experienced. On Sunday, January 18th, I went to the We Are One concert at the Lincoln Memorial and National Mall. I was one of nearly a half-million people, sandwiched in to see Bruce Springsteen, U2, Stevie Wonder and so many more artists perform live!

The half-million people who attended the concert was a drop in the bucket, compared to the number of people who gathered for the Inauguration of Barack Obama. Although no official count was taken, The National Park Service stated that it would use the head count of 1.8 million as reported in the Washington Post. That’s believed to be a record for any event ever held in Washington, D.C.

Standing in the massive crowd, in frigid weather, I was warmed from the inside by the display of overwhelming patriotism. I don’t remember seeing a single person without some kind of patriotic ensemble with them. Children waved small American Flags, veterans wearing hats and jackets, emblazoned with their military branch and company insignias while carrying their Military branch flags. There were people of all ages with patriotic lapel pins stuck to just about any part of their wardrobe. It truly was a site to remember. I even saw people waving their own custom flags that they made for the event! Never had I seen so much patriotism for our great country.

As we all stared in the same direction, toward the steps of the U.S. Capitol Building, we all saw five American Flags draped between the columns of the Capitol. If you watched the presidential inauguration on TV, or perhaps as lucky as I was to attend the event in person, you probably noticed the five flags on the west front of the Capitol. The center one was a modern 50-star flag. Flanking it were two 21-star American Flags, symbolizing President Obama’s home state of Illinois, which was the 21st state. (Illinois became a state in December 1818, and the 21st star was added to the flag on July 4th 1819.) The outer two were 13-star American Flags with the stars in a circle. This is popularly known as the “Betsy Ross” flag, although there is no evidence she ever made a flag like this. Sorry, Betsy. LOL!

Here’s to 2009, and I hope my luck continues. I’m not sure what else I could attend that could top the Olympics and the Inauguration. right now I can think of only one thing to go to this year that come close. Y’all know I am a big fan of a delicious hot dog; I’m thinking I might enter myself in the Nathan’s International July Fourth Hot Dog Eating Contest at Coney Island. I’ll keep you posted! :-)

See you soon!

Lexi

Is it just me? Does anyone else still have a holiday exhaustion? I just can’t seem to get my head straight. Maybe it’s because I still have a gift or two that need exchanging. Shhh! Don’t tell my mom. She thinks I really loved all of my gifts. Oh, who knows. I might just keep the stuff – I always feel guilty telling someone I didn’t really like a gift. But seriously: what am I going to do with a ceramic cat statue? I’m allergic to the real thing. I think my mom thought I liked cats, but couldn’t be around them without sneezing, so she got this thing for me. It’s kind of funny, I guess. But, as psychosomatic as it sounds, I get the slightest feeling that I might sneeze whenever I look at it. Oh boy!

So, did everyone have a good start to the new year? Anyone make and break a resolution yet? I made a resolution to not eat so many hot dogs. I do need to maintain my girlish figure. If I keep eating hot dogs, I’ll never fit in to one of those beautiful evening gowns that all of the pretty actresses wore to the Golden Globes. Yes… I am a girl, and I loooooove me some awards shows! I was really excited about this year’s awards show, though, because a really good TV mini-series that I absolutely adored was nominated for a few awards: HBO made a mini-series out of historian David McCullough’s Pulitzer Prize winning biography, John Adams. I’m happy to announce, in case you missed the Golden Globes ceremony, that HBO’s John Adams swept the four categories in which it was nominated. Paul Giamatti won Best Actor for his portrayal of our second U.S. President, John Adams. Actress Laura Linney won Best Actress as Adams’ wife, Abagail, and Tom Wilkinson won Best Supporting Actor as Benjamin Franklin. Last but certainly not least, John Adams the mini-series won, uh, yeah, Best Mini-Series. :-) Okay… I will stop gushing about this now. But I will recommend that If you have not seen the HBO series or read the McCullough book, you should consider snatching up both. They’re very good.

Now that I’m done with all of the goofy stuff, I need to continue telling you all the story about the creation of the American Flag. A couple weeks ago we learned that Betsy Ross did not experience creative genius when sewing the first flag. By the way, boys and girls, the history of Betsy Ross even sewing the first American Flag is rather foggy. It is a true fact that she was a seamstress and flag maker, and there is evidence that she participated in flag projects. But proof that Betsy Ross sewed the first Star Spangled Banner is not to be found anywhere, and is more less a historical fairy tale. Sorry, Betsy. I still love ya!

Okay, so where were we? Oh yeah… several flags from Great Britain and Scotland hold great significance in the design of Old Glory. Britain’s King’s Colors inspired the red, white and blue. English flags such as the Red Ensign and the British Red Ensign, flown from British ships, inspired our flag’s layout design: a canton (where our star field is located), and a field (where we see the alternating 13 red and white stripes). So. Those red and white stripes. Where did those come from? The alternating red and white stripes were actually designed for one of the first flags to represent the 13 colonies. The flag was called the Continental Navy Jack, and is believed to have flown aboard the Continental Fleet’s flagship Alfred. Adorned ahead of the 13 stripes on this flag is a rattlesnake, and below the serpent there are the words, “Don’t Tread on Me.” The snake, and the statement, were put on the flag as a warning to the British monarchy. The Continental Navy Jack still exists today, and actually on May 23, 2002, the Secretary of the Navy announcced that it would be revived for all US Navy vessels beginning September 11, 2002. The flag will be flown until the end of the global war on terrorism. The Ensign flags, with their field and canton design, and the Continental Navy Jack with its 13 stripes, were the starting ground for the design of Old Glory. However, we still have s’more history to sift through before we actually get to the design we’re familiar with.

In the winter of 1775, American colonists began flying a flag that looked similar our national flag but, instead of a blue background and stars in the canton, it adorned something that looked like Britain’s King’s Colors. The flag was called a number of names: The Continental Colors, The Cambridge Flag, The Congress Flag, and the Grand Union Flag. Despite all of the names it became the unofficial flag of the U.S. Navy in 1777.

Alrighty then. So, you remember a couple minutes ago when I told you that the Betsy Ross story was kind of a fairy tale, right? I bet you started thinking to yourself, “Well if she didn’t make the flag, then who did?” I can end that suspense for ya. There was this guy, Francis Hopkinson, and he had his hands in a little bit of everything. He was New Jersey’s delegate to the Continental Congress, a member of the Marine Committee, and a member of the Navy Committee, too. Plus, he was one of the fine gentlemen with exquisite penmanship who signed the Declaration of Independence. He was a busy dude. LOL! Anyway, as history goes, the United States flew the unofficial Continental Colors Flag (or whichever name you’d like to call it) for for almost a full year following the first Independence Day in 1776. It’s said that Hopkinson, while serving as a member of the Navy Board, wanted to deep six (did you catch the Naval term? hee hee) the King’s Colors design in the canton. He thought our ships, which flew the unofficial flag, needed a new ensign, so he began a new design with stars over a blue background. Now, if y’all know anything about politics, Congress can be a fickle bunch. But Hopkinson’s flag design must’ve been something jazzy, because in June of 1777, Congress accepted his design.

The American Flag was taking real shape now, but she still had a ways to go. A little bit, anyway. You see, the stars in the canton were not always the same. Some had six points, and some flags had eight points on a star. Could you imagine having to doodle a star with eight points? I have enough trouble with the five-pointed variety! Ughh. It wasn’t until sometime in the early 1780’s that the American Flag started being produced that showed the stars we know of today. Mullets! HAHA! No, not that kind of mullet! That’s what a star with five points is referred to as. How, over the course of history, a hairdo would find itself sharing the same name with a five-pointed star is beyond my wildest imagination. So, yeah, it was about 1781 when the single design using the mullet star was established. And at some point in 1783, a couple years after the end of the Revolutionary War, and around about the same time that the U.S. Signed a peace treaty with Great Britain, The United States, flying a flag with 13 stars and 13 alternating red and white stripes, was officially recognized internationally as a nation of it’s own.

Well that’s about all the history can I write about today. I’ve got much more to come so check back periodically because there’s never not enough information on flags for me :)

Lexi

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! 2008 has been a year to remember, and only time will tell - 365 days worth to be exact - if 2009 will bring the same excitement and memories. The holiday season has just about run its course, and it’s time to return to normal. I had a wonderful holiday season, spent with family, good friends, and GREAT food!!! It’s also nice to snag a few gifts in the process. This year I received a couple American history books, so while most of the people in my house were reveling in bowl game action and ice hockey in baseball stadiums, I had my nose buried in books,reading about the history of the American Flag. I’m humbled to say that, even though I learned this stuff in school as a young one, it slipped my mind. I’m guessing there might be one or two of you out there, my faithful readers, who also may have forgotten the origins of Old Glory. That said, it’s time for a refresher course:

Like just about anything out there, the American Flag did not materialize from nothing. Betsy Ross didn’t have an epiphany after striking her head in the kitchen while baking an apple pie, only to rush to the rocking chair and knit a red, white and blue tapestry. Other flags played roles in the creation and design of our own national insignia. To understand the history of the American Flag, I think I have to explain a little further beyond the history of the United States. Thanks to my holiday reading, I can do that! LOL! Okay, here we go:

Most everyone can recognize the British Flag. It’s colors are near identical to that of the American Flag, but with a much different design: red, white, and blue, with a red cross, and a white X over a blue background. This design, just like I stated above about the American Flag, was not just invented by the hottest graphic designer of the 1600’s. The earliest versions of this design was known as the King’s Colors, and rightfully so. You see, the creation of King’s Colors was influenced by two flags that flew for both Great Britain and Scotland. It was created in the early 17th century, following the death of Queen Elizabeth I, when Scotland’s King James VI took control of England. Elizabeth I had no heirs to take the throne, so James, King of Scotland (and ol’ Lizzy’s cousin), took over as King of England. To show unity between the two countries, their flags were combined.

Before the “merger,” England flew The St.
George Cross Flag, which was white, bearing a red cross, and Scotland flew a blue flag with a big white X, known as The St. Andrew Flag. The two were combined in 1606 to create the King’s Colors. As I said above, “rightfully so,” because those were King James’ colors for both of his countries. Two decades later, the flag was renamed the Union Flag.

Now, my history lovin’ buffs, the Union Flag with its red, white and blue colors… was one of several flags that influenced the creation of our American Flag. How, you ask? Well, okay, I’ll share on… LOL! … if you know your history, you’re familiar that English settlers founded Jamestown, Virginia in the early 1600’s. With them, they brought their flag (which, in 1607, was still referred to as the King’s Colors). The King’s Colors flew atop the high mast of their ships, above the sails. Flown from the height of the highest mast, and above large billowing sails, the flag was not too easy to see from the shores below. So, English and Scottish ships began flying smaller Union Flags at the bow. Flown on the jack-staff, these became known as Union Jacks.

As the throne of England changed Kings over the years, more flags were created for the ships so their purposes could be identified. One flag, known as the English Red Ensign, was flown by some English Merchant Ships. It was solid red, and in the upper left corner (where the blue starfield on our American Flag is located), carried the cross of St. George. Another flag that came years later looked very similar to the Red Ensign. Known as the British Red Ensign, this flag also had a solid red body. It’s difference from its Red ensign predecessor was in the upper left corner, where the British Red Ensign adorned the Union Flag design. This flag was flown in Colonial America in the early 1700’s, and during the early stages of the Revolutionary War.

That’s a lot of flags! And I have more to tell you about as we get to the point of the lesson of how our American Flag came to be. But right now I think I’ll let you all digest what we’ve learned. Ah, hear that? The bell is ringing! LOL! This lesson is over. In our next class, we’ll discuss The Continental Navy Jack. This flag had stripes. Care to take a wild guess at what colors they are? Hint, hint!!!

I hope that everyone had an awesome 2008. I sure did! And Here’s to 2009! Talk to you again real soon!!!

Lexi