Patriotic Flags symbolize the ideals upon which this country was founded. These ideals of democracy and freedom are something that all Americans should embrace. Yet, it seems that the media is quick to associate the American flag with extremists and other people who hold ideas that are counter to our nation’s values. This mischaracterization of the flag is not a good thing for America or the world.

The flag that we know as the American flag today was adopted in 1818. It consists of thirteen red alternating stripes with six white and is adorned with fifty stars. The thirteen stripes represent the original colonies while the fifty stars symbolize the current states of the Union. The colors of the flag are also symbolic: red stands for valor and courage, white signifies purity and blue symbolizes loyalty and perseverance. The flag inspired Francis Scott Key to write the national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner,” after a British bombardment of Baltimore’s Fort McHenry in 1814.

Patriotic Pride: Showcasing Patriotic Flags

Congress decided to retain the 13-stripe design with an additional star for each state that acceded. However, it did not specify the arrangement of the stars so that flag makers could take liberties in their designs. The so-called Betsy Ross Flag, with the stars arranged in a circle, is an example of such a design.

In 1912 President Taft issued an executive order that standardized the proportions and relative sizes of the elements of the flag. He also standardized the exact shades of the colors. Today, there is an international standard for the color of the American flag based on CIE coordinates that have been carefully measured and cross-checked by scientists from the National Bureau of Standards.