June 14, 2022 is Flag Day.
So what does that mean to us?
Do we Americans really know anything at all about the history of our flag?
You know; we didn’t always have “Old Glory.”
THERE WERE MANY OTHER FLAGS BEFORE OLD GLORY
In 1775 The Continental Navy had a red and white striped flag with a snake in the middle that said “Don’t tread on me.”
There were many other flags being flaunted by many different groups all over the country. The Sons of Liberty flew a red and white striped flag.
The New England flag could be seen in certain areas of the country, and it displayed a green pine tree in the upper left corner (this area of the flag is called the canton) with red white and blue stripes.
The Forster flag displayed six small white stripes for a canton on a solid red background.
In January of 1776 the grand union flag in Continental colors was displayed on Prospect Hill. The British Union Jack was in the canton and there were 13 alternate red and white stripes. It is said that George Washington, himself, replaced this flag with the one commissioned to Betsy Ross at a later date.
Prospect Hill, dominated the road from Charlestown and had great strategic importance in the Revolutionary War. This place was known as the “Citadel” The castle there, dedicated in 1903, is a monument commemorating the fortifications on top of this hill. A tablet inside reads: “This tablet is erected in memory of the soldiers of the Revolution and of the Civil War who encamped on Prospect Hill and of the banners under which they valiantly fought.”
A CASE OF TOO MANY FLAGS
Too many flags were being flown by the American colonies. It was confusing and dividing. This fact, and that it was recognized so early in our history gave me pause. I couldn’t help but to think of how disrespectfully some treat our flag today, and it makes me sad.
The flag honors all of the good people who gave us all the right to express our opinions and take stands for what we think is right. It stands for all the freedom that so many gave their lives to bring to us.
Our flag should always be used to unite our people; not to divide them.
DISHONORING THE FLAG DISHONORS YOUR OWN RIGHTS
If you must make a protest, that is your privilege, but please make it somewhere other than the mounting of our flag and the singing of our national anthem. By protesting at a time when we show honor to the flag; you dishonor all of those who defended your right to do so.
No solution ever happens by dividing people further.
Please have more respect for our flag and our anthem and take your peaceful political statements elsewhere to a more appropriate arena.
Why not take your protests to the places where they originated?
I can guarantee you; whatever troubles you are speaking about were not caused by those who fought and died for your freedom. Our flag honors them.
If you have a political statement to make; make it in the political arenas; there are surely enough of them.
The sports fields of America and the flying of our flag and the honoring of our national anthem have done nothing to cause your problems. If anything (considering that you might be a player who makes use of such venues in America) they have given you a better life, a livelihood and a way to support your family.
PROTEST WHERE YOUR PROBLEM IS
You are free to express your opinions, certainly; but do it to those who can help you, and do not hold the sports fans who simply came to watch a ballgame hostage while you make a point to people who can’t do one thing to change things.
Take it to Washington, take it to your state capitol, or take it to your local governing authorities, or whatever place your problem originated.
Please let our flag fly with the honor that it has earned over the years. Do not tread on the respect it deserves.
Could too many flags bringing confusion at the very founding of our country have begun the same problem as too many people groups trying to be the “most special” people group in the midst of our national growing?
UNITY UNDER ONE FLAG
It was decided in those days to be wiser; to unite under one flag and do away with all the other flags that catered only to the special interests of a few and not the nation as a whole.
We must all learn how to come together in an appropriate way that shows respect to all involved.
This is how the right question was finally asked:
“What if the people renewed this decision to unite under the name of one nation?”
What if we ALL became Americans again, not White, Black, Hispanic, Asian, or otherwise? Just Americans trying to melt into each other and bring back the true American culture?
A flag’s purpose is to represent a people not divided.
That we not be divided is very important to our stability as a country.
Today; each time I look at the flag being flown over our nation; I pray for God to unite all of us in love and compassion for one another. May we return to being Americans and not splintered special interest groups that have no respect for one another.
At our beginning our founders saw that there needed to be one flag that everyone could rally around which represented the hearts and souls of the people living in America.
The flag was proposed to bring everyone more together; and never to tear them apart.
By this time four generations of families had grown up in the new country.
BETSY ROSS ENTERS THE PICTURE
Betsy Ross was born in 1752 in Philadelphia. She was a real person and her story is real; despite what history books today may say.
Those who want to rewrite history because they don’t like the facts that do not conform to their version of utopia are wrong. They do not rewrite history; they lead people to believe lies.
Betsy Ross was NOT a legend.
She was a real person.
Her maiden name was Elizabeth Griscom. She was the great-granddaughter of a carpenter who had arrived in New Jersey from England in 1680.
Betsy, as she later came to be called, was one of 17 children born to Quaker parents. She attended Quaker school with her sisters and became a very good seamstress. When she turned 17 her father apprenticed her out to become an upholsterer.
It was while she was in school that she fell in love with another apprentice named John Ross. He was NOT a Quaker and her parents and religious affiliations forbid her to marry him. She defied them in 1772 choosing to give up her family and religious belief in John’s favor.
The person famous for creating the American Flag knew the bitter taste of discrimination. Still; she chose to be an American instead of catering to a group of fanatical thinking people who did not believe that other people were free to make their own choices and to form their own religious standards.
Betsy Ross was not a hopeless sheep following the crowd. She made her own decisions and was responsible for her own actions.
It was quite the scandal in Philadelphia during those times.
The Quakers as well as her immediate family completely cut all ties to Betsy.
JOHN AND BETSY ROSS
John and Betsy, working completely alone with no outside help from those who were shunning them, opened up an upholstery shop that became famous in the area. The thing that set them apart was Betsy’s marvelous skills as a seamstress as well as their desire to move on from the hatred that had been given to them and to live in peace and harmony with all.
It was during this time that the State of Pennsylvania commissioned Betsy and John to make the flags for their naval ships.
During those days Betsy designed what is now known so famously as The American Flag.
BETSY AND JOSEPH ASHBURN
In 1776 at the start of the American Revolution, John Ross was killed in a gunpowder explosion.
Betsy acquired his property and kept up the upholstery business. She worked day and night to fill the demands of the shop for orders of flags for Pennsylvania.
After a year of being a widow, Betsy remarried.
Her new husband named Joseph Ashburn was a sailor. In 1781 the ship he was on was captured by the British. He died in prison soon after.
Once again Betsy was a widow.
Her husband had given his life to defend their freedom.
BETSY AND JOHN CLAYPOOLE
In 1783 Betsy was remarried to a man named John Claypoole.
John had been a friend of Joseph Ashburn, and they served in prison together. He was present when Joseph died.
Later; John escaped.
He delivered the news of Joseph’s death and his last endearing words to Betsy. That is how the two became acquainted.
Joseph had spoken with John when he was dying. His last words were of his love for Betsy. Joseph asked him to deliver those final words to Betsy as a personal favor from a friend.
Betsy had a long and happy marriage to John Claypoole. It lasted for 34 years.
In 1817 after a long time of disability, John died, leaving Betsy a widow for the third time.
A SPECIAL WOMAN WITH A LASTING LEGACY
Finally, at the age of 84 Betsy Ross died too; leaving behind more than the simple legacy of a seamstress.
50 years after her death her grandson shared the story of how she sewed the first American flag:
As the story goes, while Betsy was married to John Ross they were visited by President George Washington. His visit seemed to have inspired Betsy’s thinking in the sewing of the flag in June of 1776.
Harper’s Monthly picked up on Betsy’s grandson’s speech about his grandmother’s life and published the story in 1873.
Everyone across the country of America at that time loved and read Harper’s Monthly.
That is how Betsy Ross became famous for making the first American flag, many long years after her death.
BETSY ROSS STANDS FOR THE HARD WORK OF DECENT AMERICAN WOMEN
Due to the fact that this story is a legend without proper documentation, many a nay-sayer has tried to discredit the life-work of this brave and courageous woman named Betsy Ross. They always want to deny that her story is true.
Even if she had not sewn the flag, Betsy Ross’s legacy would still stand out in history as a prime example of what American women have endured throughout our nation’s history.
She was one of the first woman-owned businesses.
Betsy Ross worked long and hard to make her business successful.
Her husbands were individual thinkers like her. Betsy Ross did not marry for support, but for love and the joy of living an intellectual lifestyle with men who considered her important and equal to their worlds.
Liberty and freedom were the anchors that held Betsy and her husband’s hearts until all of their deaths.
Betsy Ross’s life story stands for the decency of a faithful marriage between a man and a woman.
Each time that a husband died; Betsy had to plow her own fields through life all alone.
She was a brave and courageous survivor.
Though she found love and married again, it was not because she needed the support of a man but because she passionately loved. She well represents the spirit of our country in its founding days. May those days haste to return to us again.
Her life represents the many brave widows of America who have intelligently used their skills and talents to rise up and care for their children and themselves in extraordinary, unique and exemplary ways.
She stands for personal integrity and self-education in every aspect of daily life.
The legacy of Betsy Ross stands for hard work in the midst of constantly changing circumstances. So many American women are in that place right now. How good to have the shadow of Betsy Ross to stand in for inspiration.
BETSY ROSS AND OTHER WOMEN LIKE HER HAVE MADE US PROUD
Let the nay-sayers be silent about Mrs. Ross and let’s give her the national identity she deserves for the symbol of her life’s work.
She has made us proud!
NATIONAL RECOGNITION BY A NATIONAL HISTORIC PARK
The National Historic Park in Philadelphia summed up the contribution of our flag being sewn by Betsy Ross in this way:
“Betsy Ross sewed the first American flag. When we view the flag, we think of liberty, freedom, pride, and Betsy Ross. The American flag flies on the moon; sits atop Mount Everest, is hurling out in space. The flag is how America signs her name. It is no surprise that Betsy Ross has become one of the most cherished figures of American History.”
Let us remember these words and be very careful in the future of how we sign our country’s name to the world.
I can think of no greater way to describe the life of Betsy Ross and the contribution she made to America by giving us that beautiful flag we now call “Old Glory.”
LET US CELEBRATE BY DISPLAYING THE FLAG ON FLAG DAY
We who are truly Americans at heart still display this flag in our homes and across the land.
Flag Day is a great time to fly the colors and remember the reasons that are worthy of our faithful support.
GOD BLESS AMERICA
God bless America.
May she return to being faithful to The God who made her great; and may she return to the honor and glory that has long been represented by this flag which proclaims the liberty and freedom of one nation under God.
Let us no longer be divided.
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NOTE: The Author of this blog (Gail Landgraf) has produced two books on Genesis: THE GOSPEL HIDDEN IN GENESIS – BOOK ONE OF TWO, and THE GOSPEL HIDDEN IN GENESIS – BOOK TWO OF TWO. You may purchase them from Amazon at Amazon.com. The books are listed under their titles in the Amazon book products.