184 years ago
25 April 1818 - From The Washington City Gazette: By an act of congress of the 4th instant, it has been provided, that, from and after the fourth day of July next, the flag of the United States shall be thirteen horizontal stripes, alternate red and white; and that the union shall be twenty stars, white in a blue field. The same act also provides, that on the admission of every new state into the union, one star shall be added to the union of the flag; which addition is to take effect on the fourth day of July then next succeeding such admission. By this regulation the thirteen stripes will represent the number of states whose valor and resources originally effected American independence; and the additional stars, (the idea of which has been borrowed from the science of astronomy,) will mark the increase of the states since the adoption of the present constitution. The flag of the United States was first designated by congress, in a resolution, which was passed on the 14th of June 1777. According to that resolution the stripes were the same as prescribed of the 4th instant; and the union was thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation. By act of the 13th of January 1794, the stripes and stars were both to be fifteen in number to take effect from the first of May 1795. This addition of two stars and two stripes to the flag was owing to the admission of the states of Vermont and Kentucky into the union, the former on the 4th of March 1791, the later on the 1st of June 1792.
The Niles' Register 25 April 1818/pg. 149
June 14th is Flag Day!
Fly your flag proudly...
From the public records of Levy County,
Danny J. Shipp, Clerk of Court |
