Betsy Ross and the birth of the flag of the united states
Betsy Ross, seated in her chair with sewing threads and tools, holds up the completed flag for George Washington. Betsy Ross is regarded by many modern historians, pseudo-historians, vexillologists (flag experts), and writers on Philadelphia as a character befitting a fable — that the tale of her making the first flag is no more than an instructive parable. Modern-day parsers of the past suggest that several 19th-century authors and enthusiasts of American history were overanxious to champion the story of Betsy Ross brought to public attention by her grandson, William Canby, in a speech before the Pennsylvania Historical Society in 1870. That the story of the patriots of the Revolutionary Era required a deserving female role model. That magazines, textbooks, and artists uncritically have echoed the contrivance of a man who was an 11-year-old boy when his grandmother died. Some historians ignore Canby altogether and say, "There's no written record of the sewing of the first flag; therefore we cannot accept the story as truthful or likely." Historians, to their credit, always want source documentation. The oral history testimony of Betsy Ross's daughter and other family members recount Betsy's story, and historically the dates and circumstances remain unrefuted. Evaluating the circumstantial evidence also supports her story, including the paper star found in a trunk in the 20th century. We find that the evidence strongly supports Betsy Ross as the maker of the first flag.
Size: 7328px × 5570px
Photo credit: © Historical Art Collection (HAC) / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., 1800, 18th, 1900, 19th, abstract, aging, america, american, ancient, antique, art, beginning, betsy, birth, brave, canvas, charles, colors, education, established, establishing, flag, flying, george, history, liberty, nation, national, residence, retro, ross, rusty, set, states, story, travel, union, united, vintage, washington, weisgerber
