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Flag Day Trivia
Pass around an American flag and enjoy some Flag Day trivia.
1. What was the first American flag called and what did it look like?
The Grand Union had thirteen stripes and the Union Jack in
the corner. It was first flown at the headquarters of the
Continental Army on January 1, 1776.
2. Why do we celebrate Flag Day on June 14?
On June 14, 1777, in order to establish an official flag for the
new nation, the Continental Congress passed the first Flag
Act: "Resolved; that the flag of the United States be made of
thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be
thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new
Constellation."
3. Where was the first Flag Day observance?
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1893
4. Who proclaimed June 14 as the official U.S. Flag Day in 1949?
President Harry S. Truman
5. What does legend say Betsy Ross showed George Washington how to make?
A star with five points. According to the story, George Washington was impressed when Betsy
showed him how to fold a piece of cloth and, with just one snip of the scissors, make a perfect
five-pointed star.
6. What two states passed a law in 1890 that required their schools to fly the flag every day?
North Dakota and New Jersey
7. A vexillologist is an expert in what?
The history of flags
8. What is done with worn or outdated flags?
Flags are used until they are worn out, and then they are destroyed, preferably by burning. The
American Legion and other organizations regularly conduct flag-burning ceremonies, often on
Flag Day, June 14.
9. In 1814, amateur poet Francis Scott Key was so inspired by the sight of the American flag
still flying over Baltimore's Fort McHenry after a British bombardment that he wrote
______________.
"The Star-Spangled Banner." It officially became our national anthem in 1931.
10. The American flag first flew over a foreign fort in what country?
Libya. It few over Fort Derne, on the shores of Tripoli during the first Barbary War in 1805.
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11. Is it ever appropriate to fly the flag upside down?
Yes, but only in an emergency. It means "Help me! It's an emergency! Call the police! I am in dire
trouble and need immediate help!"
12. Who cut the American flag into pieces and was honored for doing so?
Robert Peary left pieces of the flag scattered at the North Pole. Peary’s wife, Josephine, made
him the flag in 1898, and he carried it with him when he went north. Peary cut pieces from the flag
and buried them every time he broke a "farthest north" record. Many of the pieces have been
recovered.
13. How many changes has the American flag undergone: 10, 15, or 27?
27. The American flag has changed designs more than any other flag in the world.
14. When was the last time the U.S. national flag was changed and why?
The present-day flag became official on July 4, 1960, when a star was added for the 50th state,
Hawaii.
15. How many rows of stars are on the flag today?
There are nine rows—five rows with six stars each and four
rows with five stars each.
16. On Flag Day you are supposed to take the pledge of
allegiance to the national flag. How many words does it
take to make this pledge?
There are 31 words.
17. Can the flag ever be flown at night?
Yes, but the flag should not be flown at night without a light on it.
18. How many pieces of fabric does it take to make the American flag?
It takes 64 pieces, more than any other country's flag. The current flag has 13 red and white
alternating stripes and 50 stars (each star represents one of the states of the Union) on a blue
background.
19. What do the 13 red and white alternating stripes represent?
13 original colonies
20. How many of the original 13 colonies can you name?
Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, North
Carolina, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Virginia, New York, and Rhode Island
21. True or false? When the flag is affixed to the side of a vehicle, it should be oriented so that
the union (blue rectangle) is toward the back.
False. The union should always be toward the front. This is done to give the impression that the
flag is blowing backward from its hoist as the vehicle moves forward.
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22. "Shipwreck" Kelly (1885–1952) was famous for sitting for long periods of time. What did he
have to do with flags?
He set many flagpole-sitting records. He sat for 49 days on one flagpole. He once estimated that
he spent a total of over 20,000 hours sitting on flagpoles. Flagpole sitting was a craze started in
Baltimore, Maryland, in 1929.
23. What name for the American flag was coined by Captain William Driver, a shipmaster of
Salem, Massachusetts?
"Old Glory." In 1831, as Captain Driver was leaving on one of his many voyages, some friends
presented him with a beautiful flag of 24 stars. As the banner opened to the ocean breeze for the
first time, he exclaimed "Old Glory!"
Captain Driver retired to Nashville in 1837, taking his treasured flag from his sea days with him.
By the time the Civil War erupted, most everyone in and around Nashville recognized Captain
Driver's "Old Glory." When Tennessee seceded from the Union, Rebels were determined to
destroy his flag, but repeated searches revealed no trace of the hated banner.
24. True or false? When the flag is raised or lowered as part of a ceremony as it passes by in
parade or review, everyone, except those in uniform, should face the flag with the right
hand over the heart.
True
25. Who placed an American flag on the moon?
Astronaut Neil Armstrong in 1969
26. True or false? In 1972, the Supreme Court held that
Massachusetts could not prosecute a person for
wearing a small cloth replica of the flag on the seat of
his pants.
True. Do you agree?
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