Page:What to do for Uncle Sam; a first book of citizenship (IA whattodoforuncle00bail).pdf/133



Uncle Sam is proud indeed of his American flag. It is a very old flag and represents a great deal of thought in its design and coloring.

On the fourteenth day of June, in the year 1777, the Continental Congress passed this resolution: "Resolved, that the flag of the thirteen United States be thirteen stripes alternate red and white; that the Union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation."

Then there came a question as to what kind of a star should represent the Union.

It is said that neither President Washington nor the Congress could decide this, but thought that a six-pointed star would be best, being easy to cut out. But there was a clever young seamstress, Betsy Ross, who made flags in her shop in Philadelphia. A committee from the Congress went to Mrs. Ross with their flag design and she showed them that her woman fingers were more deft than theirs. She folded a piece of white paper and with one clip of her scissors cut it into the shape of a five-pointed star.

Ever since then, although the number of stars Rh