This article describes the evolution of the flag of the United States of America, as well as other flags used within the country, such as the flags of governmental agencies. There are also separate flags for embassies and boats.
Video History of the flags of the United States
National flags
Historical progression of designs
Since 1818, a star for each new state has been added to the flag on the Fourth of July immediately following each state's admission. In years which multiple states were admitted, the number of stars on the flag jumped correspondingly; the most pronounced example of this is 1890, when five states were admitted within the span of a single year (North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, and Washington in November 1889 and Idaho on July 3, 1890). This change has typically been the only change made with each revision of the flag since 1777, with the exception of changes in 1795 and 1818, which increased the number of stripes to 15 and then returned it to 13, respectively.
As the exact pattern of stars was not specified prior to 1912, and the exact colors not specified prior to 1934, many of the historical U.S. national flags shown below are typical rather than official designs.
Other historical versions
Possible future designs
With the addition of states, the U.S. flag increases the number of stars. Examples of possible designs for U.S. flags with up to 5 additional states are displayed here.
Maps History of the flags of the United States
Executive branch flags
Office of the President
Office of the Vice President
Department of State
Department of the Treasury
Department of Defense
Department of Justice
Department of the Interior
Department of Agriculture
Department of Commerce
Department of Labor
Department of Health and Human Services
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Department of Transportation
Department of Energy
Department of Education
Department of Veterans Affairs
Department of Homeland Security
Other federal flags
Many agencies, departments, and offices of the U.S. federal government have their own flags, guidons, or standards. Following traditional American vexillology, these usually consist of the agency's departmental seal on a blank opaque background, but not always.
Uniformed services flags
Army
Marine Corps
Air Force
Coast Guard
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps (NOAA Corps)
State flags
The flags of the U.S. states, territories and federal district exhibit a variety of regional influences and local histories, as well as different styles and design principles. Nonetheless, the majority of the states' flags share the same design pattern consisting of the state seal superimposed on a monochrome background, commonly every different shade of blue.
The most recent current state flag is that of Utah (February 16, 2011), while the most recent current territorial flag is that of the Northern Mariana Islands (July 1, 1985).
History
Modern U.S. state flags date from the 1890s, when states wanted to have distinctive symbols at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, Illinois. Most U.S. state flags were designed and adopted between 1893 and World War I.
According to a 2001 survey by the North American Vexillological Association, New Mexico has the best-designed flag of any U.S. state, U.S. territory, or Canadian province, while Georgia's state flag was rated the worst design. (Georgia adopted a new flag in 2003; Nebraska's state flag, whose design was rated second worst, remains in use to date.)
Current state flags
Dates in parentheses denote when the current flag was adopted by the state's legislature.
Territorial and commonwealth flags
Uninhabited territory flags
The U.S. national flag is the official flag for all islands, atolls, and reefs composing the United States Minor Outlying Islands. However, unofficial flags are in use on five of these nine insular areas:
Associated state flags
While the countries mentioned are recognized independent nations with UN seats, the U.S. maintains and exercises jurisdictional control over the countries in defense, security, and funding grants.
County flags
Municipal organizations
City flags
Municipal organizations
Maritime flags
Ensigns
National
Since 1777, the national ensign of the United States has also simultaneously served as its national flag. The current version is shown below; for previous versions, please see the section Historical progression of designs above.
States
Other
Jacks
Native American tribal flags
Historical flags
American Revolutionary War
Former federal flags
Other states
See also
- Flag Day in the United States
- Flag desecration in the United States
- Flags of cities of the United States
- Flags of counties of the United States
- Flags of the U.S. states
- North American Vexillological Association
- United States Flag Code
Notes
References
External links
- The History of U.S. Flags (YouTube) (Slideshow on U.S. National Flags Historical Progression)
- History of the flags(in Russian)
- United States Minor Outlying Islands at Flags of the World
Source of article : Wikipedia
0 Comments