BellaOnline Forums Education History Redesign a US flag

If you design a flag for the new colonies, what would your design look like?

Was it just co-incidence that the same red/white/blue as the British flag -- was chosen for the US flag?

Actually no. At that time, many still wanted and anticipated reconciliation and not complete separation from the Mother country. They were showing that they still were a part of the Mother country yet different. Originally another flag had been designed that was even more English, but it was displayed after a speech from the King that was not well received, so the reception of it was bad. It was too English. This design was just different enough to satisfy others.

I heard a story the other day that the original 50 star flag was designed by a 17 year old high school boy. His teacher gave him a 'B' for the project , because is was not a very "original project". The boy and his parents submitted the design to the White House and it was adopted by Congress. The actual flag the boy made flew at the White House under eight presidents and was then returned to the boy and his parents. The parents tried to sell the flag on eBay and no one bid on it. They needed the money to pay for medical expenses for their son (who designed the flag). Their son died not long after.

Do you know, Rebecca, if this story is true?

If I were to design the flag for the new colonies, I would have an Eagle in a circle of stars. The Eagle represents Freedom and is a Messenger to God. The Circle represents the Circle of Life, and the stars: one for each Colony.

Oh, good design.

That story I never heard of. Let me look into that and get back to you.

I doubt that story is true. Excluding the number of stars that are on the blue field, the 48 star flag is the same design as the 50 star flag.

History of the US flag

We all learn something new everyday.

Check out this site to know about the design of the American flag.

Flag designer

The first flag that we had was called the "Grand Union Flag" and first appeared in 1775. It had the thirteen stripes and in the blue field where the stars are now was a red cross with a white "X" behind the red cross.

In 1776, we had the Betsy Ross Flag with the thirteen stars in a circle pattern.

In 1777 the Continental Congress adopted a different blue field flag. It had a pattern of thirteen stars but went from three to two to three to two and back to three again. From top to bottom.

In 1795, the original Star Spangled Banner flag had fifteen stars on it.

During the Civil War, Lincoln kept the thirty-five stars on the flag and would not allow the stars representing the southern states removed even though they had seceded from the Union.

Then that brings us to the fifty star Old Glory flag that we have today.