Celebrating Independence Day:
The US Flag
This article has a couple of links for US flag history, a project for a family flag, and a list of flag etiquette.
Flag Etiquette:
1. The flag should be raised quickly and lowered slowly, and only by hand.
2. When the flag is carried in parades it must fly free and aloft. The flag cannot be carried flat, or allowed to touch the ground.
3. No marks, words, or drawings can be put on the flag, nor can it be worn as clothing or costume.
4. The flag can never be used as decoration. People should use “bunting” instead, which is blue, white, and red, in that order, rather than the official order of American flag colors – red, white, and blue.
5. When the flag is carried in a procession in the US, it must be held either to the right of or in front of other flags. Only the United Nations flag can be flown higher than the US flag, and then only at the United Nations headquarters.
6. When the flag is flown at half-mast it should first be raised to the top of the pole and then lowered to half-mast. When it is to be taken down for the day it should first be momentarily raised to the top of the pole.
7. When the flag is hung across a street running east-west, the blue field of stars must be toward the north; on north-south streets it must fly toward the east.
8. Whenever the flag passes in a parade, or whenever it is being raised or lowered, men should stand at attention with their right hands over their hearts. Women can do the same but they are required only to stand at attention.
9. On a car the flag must be attached to the right front fender.
10. Flying the flag upside down is a signal of utmost distress.
11. The flag may be hung flat on a wall either vertically or horizontally with the field of stars always to the flag’s right.
12. A worn-out flag should be burned in a dignified manner.
Links:
Betsy Ross homepage
History of USA Flags
A Family Flag
Ask children to look at the American flag and name the colors it contains. Explain that each color used in a flag has a special meaning. In the American flag, for instance, the blue stands for justice, the white stands for purity, and the red stands for courage.
Not only the colors but also the symbols on the flag are significant. The original flag bore thirteen stars and thirteen stripes--one for each of the colonies. Today the American flag proudly displays fifty stars, one for each state in the union. The thirteen stripes remain unchanged, reminding America of its beginning as thirteen colonies.
Ask children to think of items that have special significance to them or their family. Direct them to create a family flag, using only the most important of these symbols. You might also share the meanings of the following colors commonly used on flags so that children can choose appropriate colors for their designs.
Blue = justice; piety; sincerity
black = grief; sorrow
Green = Hope
Orange = strength; endurance
Purple = high rank
Red = courage; valor
red-purple = Sacrifice
silver or white = faith; purity
yellow or gold = honor; loyalty
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