From the recording Speak of Freedom
Lyrics
The Meaning of the Stars & Stripes
Narration
Our beautiful American Flag, the meaning of the stars and stripes…
As citizens of the United States, we have been incredibly fortunate to grow up in Liberty, and the beautiful American Flag is our symbol of that Freedom, as well as a solemn reminder of the generations of heroes that served the cause of Freedom with Stars and Stripes as their banner.
But have you ever wondered, “What do the various elements of the Flag mean?” Let’s explore, starting with the meaning of the Stripes.
Across our Flag we see 13 horizontal stripes starting with a red stripe on the top and then alternating with white stripes concluding with a red stripe at the bottom of our Flag. The 13 stripes represent the 13 British colonies that declared Independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain and became our first states in the Union.
Let’s look at the meaning of each of those 13 stripes. The first stripe refers to the 13 stripes, which again, stand for the 13 original colonies which are: Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Virginia, New York, North Carolina, and Rhode Island.
The second stripe is white and the white stands for purity.
The third stripe is red; red stands for courage.
The fourth stripe reminds us of Patrick Henry’s quote, “Give me liberty or give me death.”
The fifth stripe references Paul Revere’s midnight ride, when it was heard, “One if by land, two if by sea.”
The sixth stripe references the Preamble to the United States Constitution, “We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessing of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution on the United States of America,”
The seventh stripe refers to a very important portion of our Declaration of Independence, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal. They are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights. Among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
The eighth stripe refers to our First Amendment, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”
The ninth stripe also points to the First Amendment, “Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech or press.”
Let’s put those two stripes together and look at our First Amendment, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof or abridging the Freedom of Speech or of the Press or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”
The tenth stripe references the Gettysburg address as delivered by President Abraham Lincoln, “Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth upon this continent a New Nation, conceived in Liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.”
The eleventh stripe references our belief as a Nation that we are indeed, one Nation under God. The expression, “One Nation under God,” is seen in our national Pledge of Allegiance. “I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, One Nation under God, Indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.”
The twelfth stripe reminds of the wonderful quote as stated by President John F. Kennedy, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.”
And finally, the thirteenth stripe points to the statement made by the Astronaut Neil A. Armstrong when he stepped onto the moon saying, “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”
Also, on our Flag, we see a rectangle of blue called the Canton and it is upon the Canton where we see 50 small, white, five pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars alternating with rows of five stars. The fifty stars represent the fifty states of the United States of America. The blue of the Flag also denotes Honor, and the fifty stars represent all of the states in which our Veterans have served in uniform.
Our Flag was officially adopted on June 14th, 1777, in its original thirteen-star version; and on July 4th, 1960, in the current 50-star version.
In conclusion, our Flag is a beautiful symbol of the spirit of Americanism, of Freedom, and Liberty which we have all been blessed with for generations. I invite you to explore all sources of information to learn more about our Flag, its history, and the proper way to display and care for our Flag.
May you always know joy in your soul and pride in your heart when you see our Flag on display. May you always remember the sacrifice of those who served in uniform and their families throughout the decades to perverse our Freedom.
And may we keep a prayer on our lips for our Nation that we might always see her wave over our Land of the Free, and home of the Brave.
This version of, “The Meaning of the Stars & Stripes,” was compiled, spoken, and edited by Ann M. Wolf with version and history details contributed by regional TN State Honor Guards, as well as Woodmen of the World.