Historical flags of the United states

Social Studies Review, Spring 2002

The Guilford Courthouse flag. This flag is an example of the lack of uniformity in American flags during the Revolutionary period as each group chose what flag to be used as its standard. This flag has the unique elements of an elongated canton and blue stripes instead of white stripes. It was raised over Guilford Courthouse, North Carolina on March 15, 1781 under the leadership of Gen. Greene whose militiamen halted the British advance through the Carolinas and turned them back to the seaport towns. This was one of the bloodiest battles of the long war with the British losing over a quarter of their troops.

The Pinetree flag was in use between 1775 and 1777. The Massachusetts Navy officially adopted the flag in April 1776. It flew over the floating batteries, which sailed down the Charles River to attack British held Boston. This flag is the navy jack form of the `Bunker Hill' flag. On October 20, 1775, Colonel Joseph Reed, Washington's military secretary, recommended that this flag be put into general usage so that American ships could recognize one another. The Pinetree flag is a generic name for a number of flags used by Massachusetts and by New England from 1686 to 1776.

The Sons of Liberty flag. This was the flag of the early colonist who had joined together in the protest against the British impositions on American economic freedom. One such protest was resistance to the Stamp Act, on October 7, 1765. A delegate from each of the nine colonies formed the 'Stamp Act Congress'. They petitioned the king and parliament, the act was repealed on March 18, 1766. The flag of nine red and white stripes that represented the Sons of Liberty became known as the 'Rebellious Stripes'. On December 16,1773, the Sons of Liberty protested the parliament's Tea Act, an action that became known as the "Boston Tea Party". The colonists believed the tax to be a violation of their legitimate economic liberty. Three and a half years after the Boston Tea Party the thirteen colonies had come together in their decision to fight for independence and the nine stripes had grown to thirteen. Flag ideas came forward from many people and they sometimes drew ideas from nature or history. The Sons of Liberty would rally under a large tree that became known as 'The Liberty Tree', which the British would cut down every chance they got.

The Taunton flag. This flag is another example of the colonists modifying the British flag. In this case the British Red Ensign. It was raised on the Liberty Pole in Taunton, Massachusetts on October 21, 1774. Sometimes only the word "Liberty" was added to the flag. The King's Colors flag. This flag signifies the Union of England and Scotland into the United Kingdom. One should notice immediately that both St. George's Cross-, and St. Andrew's Cross are represented on this flag. It was the national flag of England at the time of the American Revolution.

The Gadsden flag. Commodore Esek Hopkins, the first Commander in Chief of the New Continental Fleet, first used this flag. When his ships put to sea for the first time in February 1776, flags with the symbol of the coiled rattlesnake were very popular in Rhode Island. Col. Christopher Gadsden of South Carolina copied this flag and presented it to the Continental Congress. It is our fleet's Second Navy Jack.