Friday, July 2, 2010

The Making of the Flag - Postcard Friendship Friday #18

Have you ever wondered who actually designed the first American Flag?

In 1870, Betsy Ross's daughter, Rachel Fletcher showed her Mother a drawing from a brainstorming session by the Flag Committee.  She had some critiques...she felt the flag should be one third longer than its width, that the stars should be either in lines or in a circle, or a star.  The stars were six-pointed in the drawing and she believed they should be five-pointed.  So Rachel was the designer of the first American Flag--Betsy sewed it into existence.

It is interesting to note it was usual in that day for upholsterers to be flag makers. Betsy Ross attended the same church as George Washington and prayed in the pew next to him.  She had sewn buttons for him in the past and was a niece of George Ross.  So it is not exceptional the members of the Flag Committee formed by the Continental Congress would call upon Betsy Ross to make the flag.

There is a LOT more history behind the making of the American Flag--suffice it to say, Betsy Ross was an extraordinary woman, as was her daughter Rachel!  Happy Fourth of July!

 Happy Postcard Friendship Friday!

Be sure to drop by Gemma's Weekend Mailbox for more fun with mail-related stuff.


14 comments:

Postcardese said...

I'm surprised Betsy had any time left to sew after fixing that hairdo :)

Best

Guy

Paul van Yperen said...

Interesting story, Beth. Good to read Betsy had her own ideas about the design of the flag. Happy PFF!

LiT Web Studio said...

wonderful card...she looks a little like kirsten dunst as marie antoinette! happy PFF! sadly just too rushed today to manage a post...forgive!

maryt/theteach said...

The colors of this lovely card are incredible Beth! Happy PFF!

Funoldhag said...

What a pretty card, Beth. Betsy is a cutie. Have a great 4th of July and Happy PFF. Carol

Anonymous said...

Oh, what a sweet and beautiful card, Beth! Your post are so very informative!
Thank you for linking me up again today, you are much too kind amd no I do not mind. Your PFF friends are so very kind and they have the most interesting blogs.
Wishing you and your family a blessed and blissful 4th! :))

Snap said...

Wonderful information about Betsy and the flag. Perfect for the holiday. Happy PFF and Happy 4th!

Joy said...

She looks as though she should be at the court of Louis the 16th but the flag is a give-away, and happily she is a revolutionary. Pretty card and interesting story.

Aimee said...

What a pretty card...Happy 4th!

Sheila @ A Postcard a Day said...

A beautiful card and a fascinating story. She looks almost like that gorgeous French girl. Very, very pretty.

Postcardy said...

Happy July 4th!

Mary said...

And here I thought I knew all about Betsy Ross. Turns out I hadn't even scratched the surface!

Happy 4th of July! I plan on singing "Yankee Doodle Dandy" and "She's a grand old flag" loud enough to drive my husband and son crazy sometime over the next couple of days. :)

papel1 said...

What a pretty color with Betsy sewing away. Thanks for hosting PFF.
Judy

Irene said...

This is beautiful. Being a sewer and having a mother who was a sewer, I understand how they "knew" exactly how this should look.