Flag day is a glorious day to honor the adoption of the United States national flag. It is the day to respect the time, celebrate the flag’s origin, and the time to appreciate those who created the original flag. The flag is represented by the United States to remind us that we are united as one nation, and a nation under God. For this particular day, we are reminded of the heroes that fought to protect all of the citizens who live across the country.
Citizens are reminded of the Pledge of Allegiance by Francis Bellamy stating; I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
The Meaning Behind The Flag
The American Flags fifty stars represent the fifty states, and the thirteen stripes (seven red and six white) represent the thirteen colonies. Each of the colors; red, white and blue have a significant meaning described by our founding fathers. The founding fathers had faith that these colors and their meaning are important as foundation and development of the U.S.
Red – means courage, bloodshed, and hardiness. It’s a color that honors the fallen armies who lost their lives for our freedom and our country.
White – means vigilance and purity. It’s a color that pertains to independence, and the need to be alert for the choices we make.
Blue – means perseverance and justice. It’s a color that boasts the strength of our country. Although our country is young, we will commit to standing strong against all opposition. Justice, on the other hand, is the basis of our nation.
The meaning behind the American flag stands for freedom, and all the aspects our country was built for the future.
History
The Flag Day is not just about displaying the national flag or the national colors. The day has quite the history as it started on June 14, 1777, when a Congress adopted a new national flag. Even after the claimed independence in 1776, the United States flag still had the symbols of Great Britain. By then, Congress had to adopt a new flag to replace everything British. The new flag was designed with thirteen red and white stripes, along with thirteen stars in a navy blue square. In 1949, President Truman took the first step in making Flag Day an annual holiday.
Celebrations
The Flag Day is celebrated representing the U.S. national flag on various occasions. Some citizens take an individual approach in wearing the flag’s colors with waving stripes and stars. Some organizations offer flag-raising ceremonies to celebrate the honor of the fallen and living armies across the country.
Aside from displaying and flying the American Flag, there are parades and other patriotic activities. In schools, students learn about their history and about the American Flag and its meaning and importance to the United States of America. And of course, we can hear the recitation of the glorious national anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner.
This article was originally posted on the “Thin Blue Line Shop” website.