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Historically Speaking
July 4 marks the 50th anniversary of our 50-star flag. In 1818, Congress agreed to add an additional star to the flag on the Fourth of July following the admission of each new state. In July 1960, the new star honored the admission of Hawaii into statehood.
American soldiers have served under the 50-star flag longer than under any other flag in their history. The runner up would be the 48-star flag of World Wars I and II, officially flown from July 4, 1922, through July 3, 1959. Nine of our 27 official flags have lasted for one year only, including the 49-star flag that followed the statehood of Alaska in January 1959.
Changes to our flag have reflected the growth of our country. The first generation of official flags, including the so-called Betsy Ross Flag, featured 13 stars and 13 stripes, albeit without a fixed "constellation" for the stars. The Constitution recognized the principle of adding new states to the 13 that had gained their independence from Great Britain. The Northwest Ordinance, approved by Congress in 1789, created a basic framework for doing so. Land outside of the states and under federal control would be organized into territories. The President of the United States, with the advice and consent of the Senate, would appoint territorial governors and other officers. When the population eligible to vote passed "5,000 free male inhabitants of full age," it could apply to form a legislature, and when the population passed 60,000, it could apply to become a state. Vermont and Kentucky had become states by 1794, provoking a redesign of the flag to 15 stars and 15 stripes.
Tennessee, Ohio, Louisiana, Indiana and Mississippi were admitted without changing the...