In our current fractious political climate, it is tempting to look away from America’s past struggles. But the History of the American Flag | Ultimate Flags Store is a tapestry woven with stories of resilience and unity that embody the enduring qualities that continue to define our country.

It is a widely held belief that Betsy Ross, a Philadelphia flag maker, sewed the first official American flag in 1776. However primary sources do not support this theory. It is much more likely that the Continental Colors, which had 13 alternating red and white stripes, were designed by Congressman Francis Hopkinson.

Stars and Stripes: Tracing the History of the American Flag

The American flag as we know it now, consisting of thirteen stripes and 50 stars, grew out of that design. Between 1777 and 1960, Congress passed several acts changing the shape, design, and arrangement of the stars and stripes on the flag. These changes reflected the addition of new states to the Union.

The enormous 1814 garrison flag that flies over the battered Fort McHenry inspires Francis Scott Key to write “The Star Spangled Banner.” The National Museum of American History has undertaken a long-term preservation project for this iconic flag, which is stored at a 10-degree angle in a low-oxygen, filtered light chamber.

The history of the American flag reflects our country’s ongoing struggle to establish sovereignty and equality. But it also embodies a complex and sometimes fraught symbolism that has been co-opted by different groups for their own ends. For example, in 1860s America antislavery activists remade the American flag, removing the 11 stars that represented slaveholding states and adding 23 to symbolize those fighting for freedom.