The Birth of a Nation
Wave Your Stars and Stripes
The history of the American flag is the story of a growing nation, marked by the Grand Union Flag, the June 14, 1777 Flag Resolution, and the 1818 law fixing thirteen stripes.
Before the United States had an official national emblem, the colonies fought under various local symbols and banners. Early in the Revolutionary War, the Continental Army used the Continental Colors, commonly known as the Grand Union Flag. Raised in January 1776 at George Washington’s headquarters, this design featured thirteen alternating red and white stripes with the British Union Jack in the upper left corner. It showed that the colonists were united against British rule, yet still hoped for a peaceful fix with the Crown.