The Story Behind The American Flag

You probably know what the American flag looks like today. But did you know that the design of the American flag has evolved over the years? Indeed, it has mirrored political tumult and changes closely throughout the history of the United States.

The first American flag design was approved by Congress on June 14, 1777. It had 13 stripes, which represented the original 13 colonies of the United States. In honor of this day, President Harry Truman made June 14th Flag Day in 1949.

‘Birth of our Nation’s Flag’ painting depicting Betsy Ross making the First American Flag

But as the USA rapidly expanded after the colonial period, and as new states were added, the flag had to evolve along with the changing composition of the country. Between 1777 and 1960, Congress passed multiple acts that changed the design of the flag to reflect new realities as new states were admitted.
It was too cluttered to add new stripes for every state, so it was decided that the number of stripes would stay the same—13 for the 13 original colonies. The new states would be reflected in the number of stars in the box in the top left corner of the flag.
During the Civil War, the states of the Confederacy stopped flying the American flag and instead designed and flew their own flag, the Confederate Battle Flag.

And did you know that there is a significance to the American colors used in the flag? Red represents hardiness and valor, while white stands for purity and blue for perseverance and justice.
The flag has inspired not only much controversy but also artists, from Jasper Johns to Francis Scott Key, who composed the famous “Star Spangled Banner” after watching the huge 1814 garrison flag survive the shelling of Fort McHenry by the British, which went on for over 24 hours. The flag that inspired Key’s song is under intensive conservation efforts by the National Museum of American History to preserve it.
Americans have also taken their flag abroad and, famously, to outer space; in 1969, Neil Armstrong placed the American flag on the moon. Barry Bishop set the flag on the top of Mt. Everest in 1963, and Robert Peary put it on the North Pole in 1909.
The flag is usually lowered at sunset and often to half-mast when a beloved public figure dies. But there are a few places where the flag always flutters, including the United States Marine Corps War Memorial (better known as the Iwo Jima Memorial) in Arlington, Virginia, and the White House.
So, the next time you see the flag, stop and consider how much history it represents.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.