A The Flag of the United States The British flag has a red cross, edged in white, over a white diagonal cross. The background color is blue. This is the British (English) flag. Before the American Revolution, it was the flag of the thirteen American colonies. The Great Union flag consists of 13 alternating red and white horizontal stripes and the British flag in the upper left corner. This was the “Great Union Flag.” It was the flag of the American army during the Revolutionary War. The flag of England was in the corner. The red and white stripes were symbols for the thirteen American colonies. The Betsy Ross flag has seven red stripes and six white stripes. Thirteen white stars arranged in a circle, set against a blue rectangle, are on the upper left corner. Some people say that Betsy Ross made the first American flag. In the corner, there were thirteen white stars in a field of blue. The new flag also had seven red stripes and six white stripes. The Star-Spangled Banner flag has two additional stripes and stars to represent 15 states. The white stars are arranged in five rows and set against a blue rectangle appearing on the upper left corner. During the War of 1812 the flag had fifteen stars and fifteen stripes for the fifteen states. After a battle Francis Scott Key wrote a song about the American flag. The “Star-Spangled Banner” became the national anthem of the United States. The U.S. flag today has 13 alternating red and white horizontal stripes. The blue rectangle on the upper left corner contains 50 white stars arranged in nine rows. The United States grew and admitted more states to the Union. Now the flag has thirteen stripes for the thirteen original colonies and fifty stars for the fifty states. A woman places her right hand on her chest as she pledges allegiance to the flag. A U.S. flag sways in front of her. American citizens and immigrants sometimes recite the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag. The pledge is a promise of loyalty to the United States. THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE “I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” B Write T for true and F for false. Correct the false sentences. 1. T Before the American Revolution, the British flag was the flag of the thirteen American colonies. 2. ___ The Great Union flag was the flag of England during the Revolutionary War. 3. ___ Some people say that Abraham Lincoln made the first American flag. 4. ___ The “Star-Spangled Banner” is a song about the Liberty Bell and the Statue of Liberty. 5. ___ The flag of the United States now has thirteen stars for the American colonies and fifty stripes for the fifty states. 6. ___ The Pledge of Allegiance is a promise of loyalty to the United States. C Write the words from the box. blue stars colonies Revolution white stripes Union anthem The British flag was the flag of the thirteen American (1) colonies before the American (2) . During the Revolutionary War, the red and (3) stripes were symbols of these colonies on the Great (4) flag. The first American flag had thirteen (5) in a field of (6) . In the War of 1812, the flag had fifteen stars and (7) . Now the “Star-Spangled Banner” is the national (8) of the United States. D Number the flags 1–5 in time order. Tell about each flag. A flag with 13 stripes and 50 stars., The British flag., A flag with 13 stripes and 13 stars., A flag with 13 stripes and a British flag on the upper left corner., A flag with 15 stripes and 15 stars. E More American Symbols A document showing the text of the Declaration of Independence and signatures of the delegates of the 13 American colonies. The delegates of the thirteen American colonies planned the Declaration of Independence, and Thomas Jefferson wrote it. The document declared the independence (separation) of the colonies from England. The Liberty Bell hanging from a short wooden beam. It has a crack on one side. Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence, and the delegates signed the document on July 4, 1776. The Liberty Bell in the State House in Philadelphia rang out on that day.