Sunday, July 4, 2010

Old Glory - 4th of July

Hello Lovelies,


Happy 4th of July! In spite of all our faults and flaws, in spite of the error of our ways, I am so very proud and thankful to be an American. 


My family genealogy runs to the very beginnings of our country. My ancestors sent petitions and were members of the Stamp Act Congress, which protested the tax imposed on the colonies printed goods by the British Parliament. Their responsibility was to draft a formal set of petitions verifying why Parliament had no right to tax them. To meet in the Stamp Act Congress of 1765 meant betrayal of England, this represented the first joint colonial response to any royal regulation. It was in this set of petitions that the mantra for our liberation from English rule first came forth - No taxation without representation. Or as they wrote it, "That it is inseparably essential to the freedom of a people, and the undoubted right of Englishmen, that no taxes be imposed on them, but with their own consent, given personally, or by their representatives." The members of the Stamp Act Congress were far more respected than those who participated in the Boston Tea Party, these were twenty seven of the most distinguished men from the colonies. This was the beginning of the revolution!





As a new country we had so many decisions to make, and one of them was what would be our representation to the world. What flag would we fly?
"On June 14, 1777, the Second Continental Congress resolved that "the flag of the United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white: that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation." But this resolution did not specify a particular design, and several designs were used. The best known is the "Betsy Ross" flag, which has 13 stars forming a circle. The "3rd Maryland" or "Cowpens" flag, dating perhaps to 1781, has a circle of 12 stars with a 13th star in the middle. 

Cowpens Flag

Betsy Ross presents her flag the "first American flag" to George Washington

Happy 4th of July everyone! I am so proud of our great American tradition and so thankful for a 3-day weekend to celebrate American life with my friends and family! 

What better way to celebrate Americana than with "Old Glory Blueberry Pie" Recipe Here.


4 comments:

LPC said...

Have a very happy 4th of July!

Mags said...

I hope you are having a fantastic weekend! Happy 4th

Nicki said...

wow, that's amazing! thanks for sharing about your family history. hope you had a fabulous 4th of july weekend!

Keri said...

So festive...hope you had a fabulous fourth!