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The
The

Cult Cult

of the
of the

Flag Flag

The Feeling of Love and Respect for the Red, White, and Blue The Feeling of Love and Respect for the Red, White, and Blue

By Judy GonyeauBy Judy Gonyeau

hen it comes to the These and many other flags showed the regional pride the
creation and design of a soldiers had while fighting the British and the
Wnation’s flag, many say it symbols helped to document who fought in
must be able to inspire people to what battles.
love and respect it. Think of the As the war continued to unfold, the Second
image of the flag at Iwo Jima, Continental Congress met in Philadelphia in
Ground Zero, the image of the June of 1775 to create a united militia known as
painting Bombardment of Fort the Continental Army and named George
McHenry where Francis Scott Key Washington as its commander-in-chief. A flag
wrote The Star-Spangled Banner – called the “Continental Colors” featured thirteen
where the stars and stripes take red and white stripes with a Union Jack in the can-
center stage and invoke a love ton, or upper left corner, of the flag. According to
of country and fellow citizens. United-States-Flag.com, “Records show that
This feeling is referred to as the Philadelphia seamstress Margaret Manny sewed the first Continental
“Cult of the Flag.” Colors for the USS Alfred, and in December of 1775, the flag was raised
for the first time on any fighting vessel. A year later, the flag was con-
The Age of Revolution sidered the official flag of the American naval forces by the Maritime
The year was 1775 and war Committee of the Continental Congress.” And according to David
with the British had begun. How Martucci, past-
During the Neoclassical Period did the rag-tag groups of the first president of the
North American
(1780-1830), Liberty was often Revolutionary War fighters identi-
depicted as a Roman goddess and used to fy themselves? It was not under the Vexillological
symbolize the United States. stars and stripes but under flags Association, “It
This rendition of Liberty incorporates identifying what unit or regiment was sort of a com-
many well-known patriotic symbols, they were fighting with as battles promise between
including the American flag, Bald Eagle, erupted across the country. The the radicals who
white pine tree, Liberty pole Washington Cruisers used a white wanted to see a
and cap, laurel wreath of the classical flag with a pine tree and the words separate nation
victor, bust of Washington, and and the people
Crown of Tyranny upon which “An Appeal to Heaven” written who were more
Liberty tramples. The object was beneath. The Continental Marines Vintage hand made, hand painted Revolutionary War conciliatory and
reportedly used as a window shade used the Gadsden Flag (a yellow Flag. The original was one of the first flags to appear in a wanted to see some
in a Connecticut tavern. flag with a snake and the words battle with the British. This one is rare and unique as it
It was collected in the 1920s “Don’t Tread On Me”) and the was most likely as school project but still very rare to have accommodation
by Elie Nadelman, a modern Moultrie Flag (a blue flag with a survived. Selling for $1,450 on Etsy with the crown.”
sculptor who, with his wife, formed white crescent moon and the word Some sources
one of the earliest and largest folk art “liberty” written into the white state George Washington commanded the Continental Colors to be
collections in the United States. with blue lettering). The Green raised on New Year’s Day during a siege on British-occupied
photo: Fenimore Art Museum Mountain Boys had a green flag Boston, but others say Washington knew raising a flag with a
with a corner of blue with thirteen feature of the British flag incorporated as an
stars representing the Colonies. element of the design was probably not a great idea.

30 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles