American Flag: The Story Of Old Glory (Rev Ed, 1969)

[Music] I pledge alce to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God indivisible with liy and justice for all today we pledge allegiance to a flag that stands for our independence our unity and our Democratic rights our flag not like this at first it had to be born and change and grow the history of the flag is the history of the nation the first Flags in America were foreign Flags explorers from Europe came to claim this land the flags they brought were symbols of royalty and ancient tradition Columbus brought the Royal flag of Spain John cett brought the flag of England later others came bringing symbols of France the Netherlands Sweden in Time Each was driven back for a while the colonists felt little need for a flag of their own but harsh measures imposed by the British Crown roused a spirit of resistance out of which the first flags of the new land were born will you pay every tax the Royal Governor puts on South Carolina I'm still subject to the king and so are you and so his sister this is rebellion who says Rebellion we only want our rights they hang us all well if it comes to that we'll ask for Independence that's why the Ralph snake speaks for us that the King heeds this Rebellion spread each colony raised its own flag against the mother country Massachusetts the Pine Tree Rhode Island The Anchor New York the beaver winter 1776 George Washington raised a striped flag over our first Continental Army but in the corner it still had the Royal crosses used in England's flag there is a legend that Betsy Ross a Philadelphia seamstress made the first true flag using Stars and Stripes three distinguished Patriots headed by General Washington himself brought her a design using stars with six points she showed them that it was easier to cut a five-pointed star [Music] the committee accepted her suggestion and in that quiet room Betsy Ross made the first American flag although there is not proof that this episode actually happened it has become a cherished legend in the story of our flag meanwhile colonial flags were still being carried to the [Music] battlefield July 4th 1776 [Music] with a signing of the Declaration of Independence a new nation was born now a national flag was needed [Music] and one year later the wartime Continental Congress made into law our first official flag June 14th 1777 resolved that the flag of the United States be 13 stripes alternate red and white that the union be 13 stars white on a blue field representing a new constellation but the flag Act of 1777 did not say that the Stars had to be arranged in a circle Vermont still fought under this one Maryland fought under this one even while fighting the common enemy troops from different states argued about how the stars of the new flag should be arranged but it was one flag they never forgot that it belonged to all the states Yorktown 1781 the Revolution was won and the officials Stars and Stripes now stood for 13 independent states in the years of Peace After the Revolution the United States built and grew strong as the nation grew the flag had to grow with it when Vermont and Kentucky became States they clamored for Stars and Stripes to be added to the flag so Congress added two stars and two stripes and for 23 years our flag had 15 stars and 15 stripes in 1803 this enm marged flag was hoisted over New Orleans to celebrate the Louisiana Purchase which doubled the size of the nation overnight in the War of 1812 England challenged our strength as a nation in 1814 a British fleet was anchored off Fort McKenry Francis Scott Key an American lawyer boarded the flagship to discuss an exchange of prisoners after seeing the Admiral key and his friend prepared to leave I hope your meeting with the Admiral met with success Mr key I believe so [Music] sir let f stations it is Sir you've chosen an unfortunate time to come aboard Sur you'll permit me to get back to the Fort only after we've taken it Mr key I protest sir those are my orders you may remain on Deck sir if you will pledge us your honor you leave me no choice good it won't be long they'll haul down that flag soon you can bombard all night Fort McHenry Will Never Surrender we shall see for [Music] Skinner it's gone key look [Music] [Music] all [Music] The Star Spangled Banner which key wrote by the light of that faithful Dawn gave the Young Nation an Abiding Faith in its flag as new states joined the union Congress realized that adding more stripes would make the flag too large in 1818 Congress restored the original 13 stripes since that time a star has been added as each state came in Pioneers marched Westward bringing in more States and more stars but by 1860 two ways of life divided us we were half slave and half free a different flag challenged our Unity the flag of the Confederacy [Music] of wind [Music] [Music] Lincoln had said not a star will be removed from our flag the union cannot be dissolved the Civil War was the last challenge to our unity and again the flag could grow with the nation in 1959 Hawaii became the 50th state and star our history has given this meaning to the flag it stands for our independence our unity and our Democratic rights one flag uniting millions of Americans of every race color and Creed a symbol that flies over those places where we must always work for liberty and justice for all the polls where we assert our freedom to choose a government representing all the people the courts where under the Constitution every man is equal before the law the schools where education for all Americans helps keep alive our Democratic Heritage one flag we have fought for and many have died for one flag for this whole land of ours [Music] all are [Music] out of many separate colonial flags out of our struggle as a nation to live and grow has come a symbol of Independence unity and our Democratic rights to live by these principles is to do honor to the flag one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all