America's 14th star -- and for a little while, stripe

2023-06-14

Dear friend,

June 14th celebrates the day in 1777 that the Continental Congress designated the "Stars and Stripes" as the official flag of the United States of America.

That flag featured 13 stars and 13 stripes, one for each of the original colonies.

Vermont was admitted to the Union in 1791 as the 14th state, and President George Washington approved a fourteenth star and stripe for us, with the fifteenth going to Kentucky.

That flag inspired the writing of the national anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner, as it flew over Fort McHenry during the War of 1812.

Count 'em: 15 stars and stripes, with Vermont and Kentucky on board.

The addition of five more states in 1818 led to a new approach. The U.S. went back to the 13 original stripes, while adding a star for each new state.

Happy Flag Day!

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The War of 1812 also has a small role to play in my Reformer column this week. Also tadpoles, and something disgusting I found in my recycling.

You can preview it here: To blame is to interrupt responsibility.

Enjoy!