Since 1776, there have been 27 U. S. flags. Each new flag represented one or more states that joined the Union.
Nine flags flew for one year or less which shows how fast the nation was growing. There has not been a new star since 1960 when Hawaii was added and although Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the North Mariana Islands and the US Virgin Islands are American-owned territories; they are not yet considered "states."
 |
| 13-Star Flag, 1777 to 1795 |
1. The 13-Star Flag - 1777 to 1795
George Washington was President when this flag flew the land. It officially became a US Flag on June 14, 1777 which is why the date is celebrated as "Flag Day." Each star and stripe represents a former British colony.
2. The 15-Star Flag - 1795 to 1818
This flag flew under five Presidents: Washington (1789-1797), John Adams (1797-1801), Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809), James Madison (1809-1817) and James Monroe (1817-1825). Two stars and stripes were added: one in 1791 for Vermont and in 1792 for Kentucky. This is the flag that influenced Francis Scott Key to write "The Star-Spangled Banner" in September 1814. Although more states joined the Union up to 1818, they were not included until the next flag was proposed.
3. The 20-Star Flag -1818 to 1819
President James Monroe was President when this flag flew the land for just about one year. Congresss deemed it to be impractical to keep adding stripes to the flag. So on April 13, 1818, Congress passed the Flag Act to make the 20-star flag the official flag. They restored the original 13-stripe design and on July 4th, they unveiled a flag with five additional stars to represent Tennessee (1796), Ohio (1803), Louisiana (1812), Indiana (1816) and Mississippi (1817).
4. The 21-Star Flag - 1819 to 1820
President James Monroe was still in the White House when a little over one year later, Illinois decided to join the Union in 1819 and the 21st star was added.
5. The 23-Star Flag -1820 to 1822
President James Monroe (1817-1825) was starting his second term when Alabama (a slave state) joined the Union in 1819 and Maine joined in 1820 after it separated from northern part of Massachusetts (a slave state). The 23-Star Flag became the official US Flag on July 4, 1820. Missouri probably would have been added to make it a 24-star flag but Missouri was not quite qualified because they did not have enough settlers. There was no telling how long it would take to build up their population enough to apply for statehood, so only Alabama and Maine were admitted to the Union.
 |
| 24-Star Flag, 1822-1836 |
6. The 24-Star Flag - 1822 to 1836
This flag flew under three Presidents: James Monroe (1817-1825), John Quincy Adams (1825-1829) and Andrew Jackson (1829-1837). In order to qualify for statehood, Missouri needed more settlers. Over a period of two years, people emigrated from the Southern states, bringing their slaves with them. By late 1819, Missouri had enough population to qualify for statehood however Congress was concerned about the slavery issue. If Missouri were to be admitted as a slave state, it meant there would be more slave states than free states in the Union; this would influence the voting process in Congress. Northern legislators in Congress wanted to prohibit slavery in Missouri and make them a free state, but came up against opposition - mostly from Missourians. The dispute was settled by making Maine a free state and keeping Missouri as a slave state with a bill called The Missouri Compromise which barred slavery in all territories north of Missouri, (later became Kansas and Nebraska), and barred the importation of new slaves. President James Monroe signed the Missouri Compromise on March 6, 1820, which stayed in place until 1854 when it was replaced by the Kansas-Nebraska Act.
7. The 25-Star Flag - 1836 to 1837
This flag flew under two Presidents: Andrew Jackson (1829-1837) and Martin Van Buren (1837-1841). On June 15, 1836, Arkansas joined the Union as a slave state and about one month later, their star was added to the flag. Arkansas was part of the Louisiana Purchase which made the Missouri Territory become its own territory.
8. The 26-Star Flag - 1837 to 1845
This flag flew under four Presidents: Martin Van Buren (1837-1841), William Henry Harrison (1841), John Tyler (1841-1845) and James Polk (1845-1849). Michigan was added as a free state in 1837 amid a border dispute with Ohio which became a state in 1803. President Andrew Jackson solved the dispute by allowing Ohio to keep the disputed territory and he awarded Michigan some of the land from the Upper Peninsula.
9. The 27-Star Flag - 1845 to 1846
President James Polk was in office when Florida was admitted to the Union in 1845 as a slave state. Florida was colonized by Spain in 1565, then they lost it to the British in 1763 in the French and Indian War, and after 20 years of British rule, Florida was returned to Spain as part of the second Treaty of Paris which ended the American Revolution in 1783. It took many years but finally in 1819 Secretary of State John Quincy Adams was able to negotiate the Florida Purchase Treaty which put Florida in US hands at no cost, except for the US taking over $5 million of claims by US citizens against Spain. The US began occupation in 1821 with General Andrew Jackson as its Military Governor. Britain wanted to regain control of Florida and with it meant control of the Mississippi River. In 1821, the United States successfully purchased Florida from Spain. It took from 1822 until March 3, 1845 for Florida to be admitted to the Union as a slave state because Congress had to wait until a"free" territory was on the way to qualifying as a free state. In 1845, Florida's population was about 67,000 people, and about 30,000 were people held in slavery.
 |
| 28-Star Flag, 1846 to 1847 |
10. The 28-Star Flag - 1846 to 1847
President James Polk (1845-1849) was in office when Texas was admitted to the Union in 1846. Before becoming the 28th state, Texas had broken away from Mexico in 1836 and was an independent republic for ten years before joining the Union. As the Lone Star state, it became the biggest state in land mass.
11. The 29-Star Flag - 1847 to 1848
President James Polk saw the admission of Iowa to the Union. Iowa was originally part of the Louisiana Purchase and was established as a US territory in 1838. As a free state, Iowa was admitted to the Union on December 28, 1846 which maintained the balance between free and slave states. Their star was added to the flag on July 4, 1847.
12. The 30-Star Flag - 1848 to 1851
This flag flew under three Presidents: James Polk (1845-1849), Zachary Taylor (1849-1850) and Millard Fillmore (1850-1853). On May 29, 1848, Wisconsin qualified for statehood and the 30th star was added two months later. The residents of Wisconsin rejected statehood four times because they thought statehood meant higher taxes.
 |
| 31-Star Flag, 1851 to 1858 |
13. The 31-Star Flag - 1851 to 1858
This flag flew under three Presidents: Millard Fillmore (1850-1853), Franklin Pierce (1853-1857) and James Buchanan (1857-1861). The influx of settlers during California's Gold Rush in 1848 helped California qualify for statehood and become the 31st star which was added on July 4, 1850.
14. The 32-Star Flag - 1858 to 1859
Minnesota was admitted to the Union as a free state on May 11, 1858 during President James Buchanan's term (1857-1861). Their star became the 32nd star on July 4, 1858.
15. The 33-Star Flag - 1859 to 1861
This flag flew under two Presidents: James Buchanan (1857-1861) and Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865). Oregon had been a US territory since 1848 and on February 14, 1859, they finally qualified to join the Union as a free stat. Their 33rd star was added to the flag on July 4, 1859.
16. The 34-Star Flag - 1861 to 1863
President Abraham Lincoln saw Kansas join the Union as a free state on January 29, 1861. Its admission was delayed over disputes whether Kansas would be admitted as a free state or a slave state. The 34th star was added to the flag on July 4, 1861.
17. The 35-Star Flag - 1863 to 1865
Two Presidents kept the doors open during the Civil War to admit states to the Union: Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865) and Andrew Johnson (1865-1869). The western part of Virginia was home to many abolitionists and was pro-Union. It had split from the rest of the state which had seceded. Admitting the western part of Virginia meant dividing the rest of Virginia as a separate state. Lincoln agreed to its admission on the grounds that West Virginia's decision to join the union was an act of secession in favor of the Constitution. West Virginia joined the Union on June 20, 1863 and their star was added on a new flag on July 4, 1863.
18. The 36-Star Flag - 1865 to 1867
President Abraham Lincoln lobbied hard for statehood for Nevada because they were a pro-Union state and he felt their statehood would drum up western support for the Civil War. New states had to write a state constitution then submit it to Congress for admission. Nevada sent its entire state constitution to Washington DC by telegram - all 175 pages. Lincoln lived to see Nevada admitted to the Union on October 31, 1864 but he was assassinated on April 15, 1865. So it was President Andrew Johnson who saw their star added to the flag on July 4, 1865.
19. The 37-Star Flag - 1867 to 1877
This flag flew under three Presidents: Andrew Johnson (1867-1869), Ulysses S. Grant (1869-1877) and Rutherford B. Hayes (1877-1881). After the Civil War, Nebraska was the first state to qualify to join the Union. Nebraska felt they would be approved quickly because the rapid growth of the railroad through the mid-west was a point in their favor. Nebraska submitted their state constitution but their approval hit a snag when their state constitution limited the voting to whites only and that the right to hold office was expressly limited to white citizens. Congress rejected the clause but not their constitution and instead imposed that "there shall be no denial of elective franchise or any other right to any person by reason of race or color." President Johnson vetoed the bill on the grounds that Congress had no right to amend their constitution. Congress overrode Johnson's veto but Nebraska decided to change its constitution to remove the "whites only" voting clause. Their star was added to the flag on July 4, 1867.
20. The 38-Star Flag - 1877 to 1890
This flag flew under five Presidents for 13 years: Rutherford B. Hayes (1877-1881), James A. Garfield (1881), Chester A. Arthur (1881-1885), Grover Cleveland (1885-1889) and Benjamin Harrison (1889-1893). The Colorado Territory was part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. In 1866, both Nebraska and Colorado had all their ducks in a row to qualify for statehood to join the Union. Nebraska (see above) was approved in 1867. Colorado's constitution had the same white male voting clause as Nebraska. Congress approved to admit Colorado but amended to protect the rights of those newly freed from slavery, but President Andrew Johnson vetoed their legislation. Congress overrode his veto by 108 to 32 votes. After enduring constant vetoes, the House voted on February 24, 1868 to impeach President Andrew Johnson. Almost ten years later on August 1, 1876, President Ulysses Grant signed the proclamation that admitted Colorado to the Union.
 |
| 43-Star Flag, 1890-1891 |
21. The 43-Star Flag - 1890 to 1891
Five states were admitted to the Union under President Benjamin Harrison (1889-1893): North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, and Washington in 1889 and Idaho in 1890. The flag had 43 stars by July 4, 1890.
22. The 44-Star Flag - 1891 to 1896
Six states were admitted to the Union when President Benjamin Harrison was in office. Wyoming was the last one on July 10, 1890 bringing the number of stars to 44. Wyoming was 5,000 people short of the required 60,000 population requirement to become a state.
23. The 45-Star Flag - 1896 to 1908
This flag flew under three Presidents: Grover Cleveland (1893-1897), William McKinley (1897-1901) and Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909). Utah became a state on January 4, 1896. Even though Utah was a territory the US received as part of the treaty that ended the Mexican American War in 1848, the Mormons prevented Utah from becoming a state until they renounced polygamy in the state constitution.
24. The 46-Star Flag - 1908 to 1912
President Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909) saw Oklahoma admitted to the Union on November 16, 1907. Previously the United States used Oklahoma to resettle Native Americans but in the mid-1880s, Texas ranchers moved northward in droves so the federal government opened the territory to homesteaders.
25. The 48-Star Flag - 1912 to 1959
President William Howard Taft (1909-1913) saw the southwestern territories of New Mexico and Arizona join the Union. The 47th state was New Mexico on January 6, 1912 followed by Arizona on February 14, 1912. This flag flew longer than any other before it, 47 years with eight President serving: Taft, Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921), Warren Harding (1921-1923), Calvin Coolidge (1923-1929), Herbert Hoover (1929-1933), Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933-1945), Harry Truman (1945-1953), and Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1961).
26. The 49-Star Flag - 1959 to 1960
Alaska was purchased from Russia in 1867 and until then was the second largest state, over twice the size of Texas. President Dwight D. Eisenhower was in office when Alaska became a state on January 3, 1959.
 |
| 50-Star Flag, 1960 to present |
27. The 50-Star Flag - 1960 to present
Thirteen Presidents served under this flag that welcomed Hawaii as the 50th state on August 21, 1959. The Presidents are: Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1961), John F. Kennedy (1961-1963), Lyndon B. Johnson (1963-1969), Richard M. Nixon (1969-1974), Gerald R. Ford (1974-1977), Jimmy Carter (1977-1981), Ronald Reagan (1981-1989), George H. W. Bush (1989-1993), William Clinton (1993-2001), George W. Bush (2001-2009), Barack Obama (2009-2017), Donald Trump (2017-2021) and Joseph Biden (2021 to present).
Please tell your friends about our blog. Here's the link:
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thanks for your comment