American Flag Has 247 Years Of History

By Tom Emery

Happy Birthday, Old Glory. 247 never looked so good.

This year marks the 247th anniversary of the establishment of the official American flag, which was created by an act of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1777. The admission of new states, and a surprisingly vague design pattern of the flag, have led to numerous changes since.

Exactly when the Stars and Stripes was created is a matter of debate, but one thing is clear – it is highly unlikely that Betsy Ross had anything to do with it. According to the legend, Ross, a Philadelphia seamstress, was approached by a committee hea...