Betsy Ross: The story of how she risked her life to sew the first US flag
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PHILADELPHIA, Penn. – As America celebrates its 250th birthday, historic landmarks in Philadelphia highlight people and places tied to the nation’s earliest days; including the American flag, one of the most enduring symbols.
While the Founding Fathers are often central to Revolutionary War history, one of the country’s most recognizable symbols is traditionally associated with an ordinary woman working from her home in Philadelphia.
Betsy Ross, a 24-year-old upholsterer, is traditionally known to have sewn what is believed to be the first American flag in the summer of 1776, as she was reportedly approached by members of a flag committee that included George Washington.
According to Lisa Acker Moulter, director of the Betsy Ross House, the historic site helps visitors understand how the moment might have unfolded.
LEARN MORE ABOUT BETSY ROSS
People visiting Betsy Ross’s House. (Pete Cuddihy)
“He said he’d never done it before, but he’d definitely try it,” said Lisa Acker Moulter, principal of Betsy Ross House. “However, he suggested a change; the flag they showed him, drawn on a piece of paper, had six-pointed stars, and he recommended five-pointed stars because they were easier to make. He had a method of folding a piece of fabric or paper that he had learned in his childhood, and with a single tip of his scissors he would cut out a perfect five-pointed star.”
According to tradition, Ross is believed to have worked in secrecy, hand-stitching the flag at night – probably at his home rather than in his upholstery shop – and completing it in about a week.
The bedroom where Betsy Ross planted the first flag (Pete Cuddihy)
At the time, the colonies were still under British rule, making the creation of a national flag a potentially dangerous action.
ANOTHER AMERICAN HERO WHO RISKED HIS LIFE FOR OUR FREEDOM
“You have to remember that we were a British colony at the time, so making the flag would have been considered an act of treason. If she had been caught by the British or her loyalists, she could have been at least imprisoned or possibly executed,” said Lisa Acker Moulter, director of the Betsy Ross House.
The original design featured 13 stripes representing the colonies and 13 stars arranged in a circle, symbolizing equality between them. It was later adopted as the nation’s first official flag after the Continental Congress passed a resolution on June 14, 1777.
Betsy Ross’s story reflects a broader truth about who contributed to America’s founding, says Lisa Acker Moulter, director of the Betsy Ross House.
Reenactor at Betsy Ross House (Pete Cuddihy)
“It shows that ordinary people can contribute important things to this country, too. You know, this country wasn’t just founded by rich, powerful white men, the Founding Fathers. It was women, it was free and enslaved people, it was new immigrants, they all contributed to the founding of this nation. And that’s represented by that first flag,” said Lisa Acker Moulter, executive director of the Betsy Ross House.
THE AMERICAN FLAG, THE SYMBOL OF UNION
In its early years, the flag was used primarily as a form of identification on battlefields, military forts, and ships. It did not become a widespread symbol of national identity until late in U.S. history.
“They weren’t a symbol of our national identity like they are today. That didn’t happen until the Civil War. So from the Civil War until today, you started seeing flags flying over schools, on government buildings, on homes. So the flag has changed over time. It’s become much more powerful and meaningful to people,” said Lisa Acker Moulter, principal of Betsy Ross House.
Over time, the flag evolved as new states joined the Union. The first major update came in 1795 when two stars were added to Vermont and Kentucky, and the most recent change came in 1960 after Hawaii became the 50th state.
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From its controversial origins to its modern meaning, the American flag remains one of the country’s most powerful symbols, and now it’s back in the spotlight as Philadelphia celebrates America’s 250th anniversary.
