ThebasicflagoftheUnitedStatesisoneoftheworld’soldestnationalflags.OnlythebasicflagsofAustria,Denmark,GreatBritain,theNetherlands,Sweden,andSwitzerlandareolder.
DuringthediscoveryandsettlementofwhatisnowtheUnitedStates,theflagsofvariousEuropeannationswereflownovertheland,assymbolsofpossession.Later,intheColonialandRevolutionaryWarperiods,flagsrepresentingfamouspersons,places,andeventswereflownintheAmericanColonise.
ThefirstofficialflagoftheUnitedStateswascreatedbyCongressonJune14,1777.Itconsistedof13alternateredandwhitestripesand13whitestarsinafieldofblue,representingthe13coloniesthathaddeclaredtheirindependencein1776.Congressadoptedanewflagof15starsand15stripesin1795,togiverepresentationtothetwonewstatesadmittedintotheUnion,VermontandKentucky.
By1817,therewere20statesintheUnion,anditbecameapparentthataddingonestripeforeachnewstatewoulddestroytheshapeoftheflag.Asaresult,Congressin1818restoredtheoriginaldesignof13stripesandprovidedthateachstatewastoberepresentedbyonestar.In1921PresideWilliamH.Taftmadethefirstofficialprovisionforthearrangementofthestars.Heorderedthattherebesixevenrowsofeightstarseach.Previouslythearrangementofthestarshadbeenlefttotheflag-maker’sfancy.
TheevolutionofthestarsandstripesreflectsthegrowthoftheUnitedStates.AftertheadmissionofHawaiiintotheUnionin1959,theflagwasofficialchangedforthe26thtimesinceitscreation.
TherearemanygovernmentflagsflownintheUnitedStatesinadditiontothenationalflag.Amongthemarethepresident’sandvice-president’sflagsandthoseofthefederaldepartmentsandsomefederalagencies.EachstateintheUnionhasanofficialflag.TheUnitedStatesNavyusesspecialflagsforsignaling.
小题1:ThebasicflagoftheUnitedStatesis_______.