OU Celebrates America 250

The Sons of Liberty Flag, often called the "Rebellious Stripes," was an early symbol of colonial resistance to British rule during the lead-up to the American Revolution. Adopted around 1767 by the secretive patriotic organization known as the Sons of Liberty, it featured nine vertical stripes alternating red and white—typically five red and four white—with no other emblems, canton, or symbols. This stark, bold design represented the nine colonies that participated in the Stamp Act Congress of 1765 (Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and South Carolina), which protested the Stamp Act's taxation without representation.

The flag emerged amid growing unrest following the 1765 Stamp Act, which required a stamp tax on all paper goods. They flew it from the famous Liberty Tree in Boston and erected "Liberty Poles" topped with the banner to rally protests, enforce boycotts, and defy British authority. British officials viewed it as seditious, banning it in some contexts and labeling it "Rebellious Stripes." It marked one of the first uses of red-and-white stripes as a unifying emblem of colonial defiance, predating and influencing later striped designs like the 13-stripe flags of the Continental forces.

By around 1775, some accounts suggest the Sons of Liberty updated their flag to 13 stripes to reflect all colonies. An alleged original wool flag from the 1770s, with nine vertical stripes, survives in Boston's Old State House collection, though its exact provenance is debated. The design inspired colonial unity and helped the colonists imagine themselves as part of a common cause. It bridged protests against specific taxes to broader revolutionary fervor.

The Bedford Flag is recognized as the oldest known surviving complete flag in the United States, a cherished relic of early American colonial militia tradition and the Revolutionary War. Crafted from crimson silk damask approximately 27 by 29 inches (roughly square, typical of a cavalry guidon), it features a rich red field woven with subtle patterns of pomegranates, grapes, and leaves. The central painted design, rendered mainly in silver and gold on both sides (with slight asymmetries in sword placement and motto orientation), depicts a mailed armored arm emerging from a cloud, firmly grasping a straight sword. Encircling the arm is a golden ribbon bearing the Latin motto "Vince Aut Morire" ("Conquer or Die").

The flag originated early in the 18th century, likely for a Massachusetts Bay militia cavalry troop during conflicts such as the French and Indian Wars, making it an antique by the time of the Revolution.The flag was adopted by the Minutemen of Bedford, Massachusetts, and waved at the Battles of Lexington and Concord. While its presence at the bridge is legendary and symbolic of militia defiance against British forces, historical documentation is limited, and it represents broader colonial resistance.

Preserved today at the Bedford Free Public Library in Bedford, Massachusetts, the flag has become an enduring emblem of patriotic resolve and the revolutionary spirit. Its heraldic imagery—armored strength from the heavens—evokes divine right to defend liberty, bridging European military traditions with emerging American identity.

The Grand Union Flag, also known as the Continental Colors or Cambridge Flag, served as the first national flag of the United Colonies (and de facto the early United States) during the American Revolutionary War. It flew from late 1775 through early 1777, before being replaced by the Stars and Stripes under the Flag Act of 1777.

Its design prominently featured the British Union Flag (the "King's Colours" of 1606, combining the red cross of St. George for England and the white saltire of St. Andrew for Scotland on a blue field) in the canton, or upper-left corner. This occupied about one-third of the flag's area. The remaining field consisted of 13 alternating horizontal stripes—seven red and six white—symbolizing the unity of the 13 American colonies in their struggle against British rule.

The flag's first documented raising occurred on December 3, 1775, aboard the Continental Navy ship Alfred in Philadelphia harbor, hoisted by Lieutenant John Paul Jones. It gained wider prominence when George Washington reportedly unfurled it on January 1, 1776, at Prospect Hill near Boston during the Siege of Boston, marking the formal establishment of the Continental Army. It served as both a naval ensign and a garrison flag for the Continental forces.

This transitional design reflected the colonies' still-declared loyalty to the British Crown while asserting colonial solidarity through the stripes. The name "Grand Union" emerged later, coined by 19th-century historian George Henry Preble in 1872. The blending of the Grand Union with the stripes illustrates a key reality of the American Revolutionary War: the conflict did not begin as an effort to break from the British empire, but instead a desire among the colonists to assert their rights as British subjects.

The Betsy Ross Flag is an iconic early design of the United States flag, featuring 13 alternating horizontal red and white stripes and a blue canton in the upper-left corner containing 13 white five-pointed stars arranged in a perfect circle. This circular arrangement of stars symbolizes unity and equality among the 13 original colonies, often interpreted as representing a "new constellation" in the heavens, as referenced in the Flag Act of 1777.

The design conforms to the Continental Congress's resolution on June 14, 1777, which specified "thirteen stripes, alternate red and white" and "thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation." While the Act did not dictate the exact placement of the stars, the circular "Betsy Ross" variant became popularized through legend.

The name derives from the famous (though historically disputed) story of Philadelphia seamstress Elizabeth "Betsy" Ross. According to family tradition later relayed by her grandson,George Washington, Robert Morris, and George Ross (her uncle or relative) visited her upholstery shop in 1776 with a rough sketch of a flag featuring six-pointed stars. Betsy Ross reportedly suggested changing them to five-pointed stars for simplicity, demonstrating how to cut one perfectly with a single snip of scissors from folded paper. Washington allegedly approved, and she sewed the first such flag.

Historians note no contemporary evidence supports this tale—early depictions show varied star arrangements, and Ross did sew flags for the Pennsylvania Navy during the war. The circular design first prominently appeared in art around 1792, and the "Betsy Ross" label emerged in the late 19th century amid patriotic storytelling. Despite debates over its origins, the flag endures as a powerful symbol of Revolutionary-era American identity and craftsmanship.

The Bennington Flag, also known as the '76 flag, is a distinctive early American Revolutionary War-era design symbolizing the spirit of independence. It features 13 alternating horizontal stripes—seven red and six white—but uniquely begins and ends with white stripes (unlike the modern U.S. flag's red top stripe). The canton is a deep blue field, taller than standard, extending across nine stripes rather than the usual seven.

Within this enlarged blue canton are 13 white seven-pointed stars arranged in a large arc or partial circle around a prominent arched numeral "76" in white. The "76" boldly references the year 1776, when the Declaration of Independence was signed, emphasizing the birth of the nation. The seven-pointed stars and circular arrangement evoke a "new constellation" of unity among the 13 colonies, similar to other early flags.

The flag is traditionally associated with the Battle of Bennington on August 16, 1777, during the Saratoga campaign, where American forces under General John Stark defeated British and Hessian troops in what is now Vermont. Legend claims it was carried by the Green Mountain Boys or even sewn by Stark's wife, Molly. However, historical analysis reveals the surviving "original" flag uses machine-woven fabric, unavailable until the 19th century, suggesting it was likely created later as a commemorative piece rather than used in the battle itself. The design probably emerged in the early 1800s to celebrate Revolutionary heritage.

Despite debates over its authenticity, the Bennington flag has endured as a powerful patriotic symbol, often displayed during celebrations of American independence and evoking the revolutionary fervor of 1776.