NEWNow you can listen to Fox News articles!
PHILADELPHIA, Penn. – As America celebrates its 250th birthday, historic sites in Philadelphia highlight people and places tied to the nation’s early days — including one of its most enduring symbols: the American flag.
While the Founding Fathers are often at the center of Revolutionary War history, one national icon is often associated with the common woman working from home in Philadelphia.
Betsy Ross, a 24-year-old nurse, is often credited with sewing what many believe was the first American flag in the summer of 1776 after she was reportedly approached by members of a flag committee that included George Washington.
According to Lisa Acker Moulter, director of the Betsy Ross House, the historic site helps visitors understand how that time might have happened.
LEARN MORE ABOUT BETSY ROSS
People visiting Betsy Ross’ House. (Pete Cuddy)
“She said she’s never done it before, but she’s going to try,” said Lisa Acker Moulter, director of the Betsy Ross House. “However, he suggested one change, the flag they showed him that was drawn on paper had six-pointed stars and he recommended five-pointed stars because they are easy to make. He had a method he had learned when he was young to fold a piece of cloth or paper and he cut a perfect five-pointed star with just one pair of scissors.”
Ross is believed to have been working in secret, sewing the flag by hand at night – more likely in his home than in his clothing store – and took about a week to complete.
The bedroom where Betsy Ross lit the first flag (Pete Cuddy)
At the time, the colonies were still under British rule, making the creation of a national flag a potentially dangerous act.
ANOTHER AMERICAN HERO WHO RISKED HIS LIFE FOR OUR FREEDOM
“You have to remember that we were a British colony at the time, so making the flag would have been considered an act of treason. If he had been caught by the British or loyalists, he could have been arrested at least or maybe killed,” said Lisa Acker Moulter, director of the Betsy Ross House.
The original design had 13 lines representing the colonies and 13 stars arranged in a circle to symbolize the balance between them. It was later adopted as the nation’s first official flag after the Continental Congress passed a resolution on June 14, 1777.
Lisa Acker Moulter, director of the Betsy Ross House, says Betsy Ross’ story reflects a broader truth about who played a role in the founding of America.
Reenactor at the Betsy Ross House (Pete Cuddy)
“It shows that ordinary people can contribute to important things in this country. You know, this country was not founded just by rich, powerful white men, the Founding Fathers. It was women, it was free and enslaved people, it was new immigrants, they all contributed to the founding of this nation. And that is represented by that first flag,” said Lisa Acker, director of the Moulter House, Lisa Acker Ross.
THE AMERICAN FLAG, A SYMBOL OF UNITY
In its early years, the flag was used primarily on battlefields, military fortifications, and ships as a means of identification. It did not become a widespread symbol of nationalism until later in US history.
“They weren’t a symbol of our nation like they are today. That didn’t happen until the Civil War. So from the Civil War until today, that’s when you started seeing flags flying over schools, flying over government buildings, flying over houses. So the flag has changed over time. It’s become more powerful and meaningful to people,” said Lisa Acker Moulter, director of the Ross House.
Over time, the flag evolved as new states joined the Union. The first major revision came in 1795 with the addition of two stars for Vermont and Kentucky, and the most recent change came in 1960 after Hawaii became the 50th state.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS PROGRAM
From its controversial origins to its modern meaning, the American flag remains one of the nation’s most powerful symbols — now it’s taking center stage again as Philadelphia marks America’s 250th anniversary.
