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The American flag has come a long way since its creation – but its historical ties to Philly play a large part in its history.
There is debate around who created the first American flag, with many historians believing that Philly seamstress Betsy Ross put it together. She went through a lot of hurdles before sewing that famous flag.
“Betsy Ross was married three times, widowed twice and was made the symbol for our new country all before she turned 30 years old,” said Once Upon a Nation Storyteller Heron Kennedy.
Ross’s grandson, William J. Canby, wrote about his grandmother’s contributions to creating the American flag in a paper he presented to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania in 1870.
While he claimed his grandmother had been commissioned to make the flag by a Continental Congress committee, there is conflicting historical evidence.
“Betsy Ross stitched the first American flag here in Philadelphia in her Old City home,” said Lisa Acker Moulder, the director of the Betsy Ross House. “That’s a story that came to us through her family, and there are some documents, and, of course, family history that backs up that story. Some people feel like maybe other people made the first American flag, but we feel like there’s enough evidence to show that Betsy did.”
While the real answer may never be revealed, the flag still has a long history in the city. Acker Moulder said Ross was still a pivotal seamstress at the time, paving the way for other feminists.
“This flagmaking was a government commission that happened to come to her,” Acker Moulder said. “It was a dangerous job, because it was an act of treason. I’m sure she struggled with, ‘do I even risk my life or my liberty to make this flag?’ Thankfully, she did.”
There were multiple prior iterations of the American flag. The Grand Union Flag, also known as the Continental Colors Flag, contained alternating white and red stripes with the United Kingdom’s flag in the upper-left-hand corner.
But the first official American flag was designed after Congress declared the United States’ freedom from Great Britain. The “Betsy Ross Flag” is also known as the “Stars and Stripes” flag.
“The flag committee, these three men, asked her to do this new design on the flag, replacing the British flag canton with a blue square and a circle of thirteen six-pointed stars that represent the thirteen Colonies all at the same time,” Kennedy said.
Betsy made one small change – pushing for five-pointed stars instead of six.
An updated version of it is still used to this day.
Between 1777 and 1960, Congress passed legislation to change the color, shape and arrangement of the flag as new states were added.
Present-day flag
The flag now has 13 red and white stripes, which represent the original 13 colonies. The white stars on the blue background represent the 50 states.
Today, the flag is intended to represent freedom, liberty and justice, while also honoring the lives of U.S. service members.
“So, Betsy Ross’s story, and the Betsy Ross flag, and the symbolism behind it, represents the story of the ordinary person, the working-class person, and the feminist story,” Acker Moulder said.
Acker Moulder explained this weekend’s Firstival – part of a series of festivals that celebrate Philly firsts – will take place during the Betsy Ross House’s 10-day “Flag Fest.”
“Flag Day is on June 14, because again, that’s the anniversary of when the flag resolution was adopted, and each year we celebrate Flag Fest with a week-long festival,” she said. “And because this year is the 250th of the country, we made it even longer.”
Saturday’s Firstival will feature flagmaking, a chance to meet with other 18th-century female flagmakers, and more.
It will take place on Saturday, June 6, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Betsy Ross House at 239 Arch Street.
And here is your full guide to all of this year’s firstivals – including where you can find this upcoming Saturday’s Firstival dates and location.
Completed
Week 1: Successful balloon flight in America (1793)
Week 2: The Mummers parade, the nation’s first folk parade (1901)
Week 3: Volunteer fire company (1736)
Week 4: Professional basketball league (1898)
Week 5: Public Girl Scout cookie sale (1932)
Week 6: African Methodist Episcopal congregation (1794)
Week 7: Abolitionist society in America (1775)
Week 8: Authentic Chinese gate built in America (1984)
Week 9: Public protest against slavery in America (1688)
Week 10: Flower Show (1829)
Week 11: Women’s medical college (1850)
Week 12: Matchbook (1892)
Week 13: Medical school (1765)
Week 14: Stadium (1895)
Week 15: Circus performance (1793)
Week 16: Botanical garden (1728)
Week 17: Postmaster (1737)
Week 18: American-made piano and sousaphone (1775 and 1893)
Week 19: Mother’s Day (1908)
Week 20: Hospital in America (1751)
Week 21: World’s Fair on American soil (1876)
Week 22: Steamboat for passengers and freight (1787)
Upcoming
• American flag (1777)
June 6, Betsy Ross House, 239 Arch St.
• U.S. Army (1775)
June 13, Museum of the American Revolution, 101 S. 3rd St.
• Annual Reminder demonstration (1965)
June 20, Philly Pride Visitor Center, Lombard St. and S. 12th St.
• Paper maker in America (1690)
June 27, Rittenhouse Town, 6034 Wissahickon Ave.
• Bank of the United States (1791)
July 4, First Bank of the United States, 120 S. 3rd St.
• Organized baseball team (1831)
July 11 (location TBD)
• Ice cream soda (Oct. 1874)
July 18, Franklin Fountain, 116 Market St.
• American art school (1805)
July 25, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, 118-128 N. Broad St.
• Scientific Society of Natural History (1812)
Aug. 1, at Academy of Natural Sciences, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
• Zoo in America (1874)
Aug. 8, Philadelphia Zoo, 3400 W. Girard Ave.
• U.S. Mint (1793)
Aug. 15 (location TBD)
• Selfie (1839)
Aug. 22, Love Park, 1501 John F Kennedy Blvd.
• Slinky (1943)
Aug. 29, Philadelphia Art Museum, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
• Signing of the Constitution (1787)
Sept. 5, National Constitution Center, 525 Arch St.
• Continental Congress (1774)
Sept. 12 at Carpenters’ Hall, 320 Chestnut St.
• Naming of the United States (1776)
Sept. 19, Independence Hall
• Ronald McDonald House (1974)
Sept. 26, Ronald McDonald House, 3925 Chestnut St.
• Penitentiary in America (1829)
Oct. 3, Eastern State Penitentiary, 2027 Fairmount Ave.
• The First Peoples
Oct. 10, Penn Museum, 3260 South St.
• U.S. Navy and Marine Corps (1775)
Oct. 17, Arch Street Meeting House, 320 Arch St.
• Public showing of a motion picture (1870)
Oct. 24, Philadelphia Film Society, 1412 Chestnut St.
• Modern detective story written (1841)
Oct. 31, Edgar Allan Poe House, 532 N. 7th St.
• Thanksgiving Day parade in America (1920)
Nov. 7, Benjamin Franklin Parkway
• University in America (1740)
Nov. 14, Houston Hall, The University of Pennsylvania, 3417 Spruce St.
• Children’s hospital in America (1855)
Nov. 21, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Main Building, 3401 Civic Center Blvd.
• Pencil with an attached eraser (1858)
Nov. 28, National Liberty Museum, 321 Chestnut St.
• Weather bureau (1870)
Dec. 5, The Franklin Institute, 222 N. 20th St.
• Electronic computer (1945)
Dec. 12, The University of Pennsylvania, 3451 Walnut St.
• Public lending library in America (1731)
Dec. 19, The Library Company of Philadelphia, 1314 Locust St.
• Philly food firsts: Cheesesteaks (1930s), water ice (1932) and bubble gum (1928)
Dec. 26, Reading Terminal Market, 1136 Arch St.
