What Do the Colors of the American Flag Represent?

The red, white, and blue of the American flag have meanings.

An early mention of the colors of the American flag dates from 1782, when the Congress of the Confederation used the same colors in the Great Seal of the United States and gave their meaning; however, a report by the Secretary of the Continental Congress (1774-1781), Charles Thomson, also mentions them.

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The Flag Acts
- We've added a lot of stars to our flag, but kept the 13 stripes.
  
  The Continental Congress passed the first Flag Act in 1777: "Resolved, That the flag of the United States be made of 13 stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be 13 stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation." Later, from 1777 to 1960, Congress passed other acts changing the design and the arrangement of stars as new states were added.
Red
- The colors echo the colors of the Union Jack (British flag).
  
  Red represents hardiness and valour. Valour is the English spelling of valor as taken from Charles Thomson's report. Ben's Guide says the red represents valor and bravery.
White
- American flag with fewer stars in a different design.
  
  White signifies purity and innocence.
Blue
- Blue stands for vigilance, perseverance and justice.

The Library of Congress: American Memory: Collections: ... Charles Thomson

Photo Credit American Flag image by dwight9592 from Fotolia.com american flag image by Brett Bouwer from Fotolia.com british flag image by Tom Davison from Fotolia.com Civil War era United States flag with 35 stars image by Pezography from Fotolia.com

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What Do the Colors of the American Flag Represent?

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