Colorado) -- If you drove through our small towns in Southeast Colorado today, Tuesday June 14th, you saw a bunting of flags. Flying proudly, waving in the breeze, today is Flag Day and is celebrating by flying the flag.
Like many days we commemorate as Americans, it has a background and history.
You see when the American Revolution started in 1775, people in the colonies didn't yet have a single flag. Regiments had their own battle flags when they challenged the British. So when the Second Continental Congress met up in Philadelphia they decided they needed ONE flag to be united under and they hoped just getting together to agree on a flag would help them be more organized, pulled together and help with fighting the oppressors, the British. (https://www.history.com/news/what-is-flag-day)
The first flag sorta resembled the British flag in that it had the Union Jack in the corner. That probably wasn't going to work since it looked like the flag of the folks they were fighting. So George Washington put it on his to-do list to create something new.
It wasn't until 1777 that they arrived at the 13 stars and 13 stripes to represent the 13 colonies. And the date they decided on this was....anyone, anyone? Yes, June 14th, 1777.
It wasn't officially declared that June 14th was to be Flag Day until President Woodrow Wilson declared it so in 1916.
And of course, as we added more states we added more stars to arrive at the 50 stars that are on our flag today.
(photo of the Flag at Boggsville Historic Site near Las Animas in Bent County) Anne Boswell
So if you have a flag fly it proudly on Flag Day or everyday.
And make sure you are well aware of proper flag etiquette. If you aren't sure what that is, please access this link for more information. https://www.vfw.org/community/flag-etiquette
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