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Sons of Liberty flag 1775. The Sons of Liberty used this flag of thirteen horizontal stripes to represent the unity of the colonies. This flag probably inspired the stripes in later American flags. The red and white colors of the Liberty flag derive from the English flag.

New England flag 1775. George Washington’s military secretary, Colonel Joseph Reed, proposed that all American ships fly this Massachusetts Navy flag. The Massachusetts Navy flag was one used by some New England ships before the revolution. It had the red flag of the English Naval ensign with the Union Jack in the corner replaced by an American pine tree. This version of the flag links the regional symbol, a New England pine, with the red, white and blue colors displacing the plain red flag area..

Forster flag 1775. According to Forster family tradition, this flag was captured from the British by minute men on April 19, 1775. The English regiment had a different canton, and the Americans replaced it with white stripes. With the red background they represented the thirteen colonies.

Continental colors 1776. This flag in use during the first past of the revolution, sent a clear message: they were fighting for their rights as subjects of the King. The British Union Jack, in the canton of our first national flag was placed on the Sons of Liberty

Francis Hopkinson flag 1777. Continental Congress Member Francis Hopkinson designed the first stars and stripes flag. His exact design of the starsis not known. However, it is recorded that he intended the replacement of the Union Jack with the stars was to signify a new entry into the constellation of nations.

Brandywine flag 1777. In the revolution, military units often had different flags or no flags. Reputedly carried at the Battle of Brandywine on September 11, 1777, this flag may have been a flag for a particular militia that fought at that engagement. It is a standard English military unit flag with the Union Jack replaced (as in the Forster flag). In this case the artisan replaced the canton with a stars and stripes design needing only white to be sewed onto the red flag.

John Paul Jones flag 1779. After John Paul Jones captured the English ship Serapis in 1779, a Dutch artist, seeing the flag Jones had hoisted in victory, painted a watercolor of this flag. At that time blue was considered America’s prime national color.

Pierre La-Enfant 1783. The architect for the nation’s capitol sketched this flag on a proposed membership diploma for the Society of the Cincinnati, a veterans’ organization for the officers of the revolutionary war.

Indian Peace flag 1803. The American government often presented a flag to friendly Indian nations. These Indian peace flags were usually accompanied by other gifts, and were part of the attempts to secure peace treaties.

Easton flag 1814. During the War of 1812, Pennsylvania citizens presented this flag to the first regiment of volunteers. The arrangement reversed the official placement of the stars and stripes.

Star Spangled Banner 1814. At Baltimore’s Fort McHenry in 1814, this flag inspired Frances Scott Key to write the words that later became our national anthem.

Bennington flag 1820. The Bennington flag was possibly made between 1810 and 1830.

Great Star flag 1837. An 1818 act of Congress established that the flag should include a star for each state and thirteen stripes. It really marks the time when a specific flag design became legally a national flag. However until 1912, the specific arrangement of the stars was not fixed.

29 Star flag 1847. In 1845 the diamond pattern became standard in garrison flags. Such flags could be easily updated after new states were admitted.

Fort Sumter flag 1861. This was the flag flying over Charleston’s Fort Sumter in April 1861 when the Civil War began.

Centennial flag 1876. This was an unofficial flag reflecting patriotic spirit and was used to celebrate the Centennial.

38 Star flag 1877. Until 1912, when rows of stars became standard, flag makers used imaginative designs to accommodate new stars. This flag was used when Colorado was admitted.

48 Star flag 1912. This version of Old Glory was official from 1912 to 1959 — the longest period any fixed star pattern has been used.