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The American flag we now know wasn't the first and only American flag. In fact, there were several different kinds during and right after the American Revolution, with some signifying individual groups (like the Sons of Liberty) and others trying to find a way to add new state stars with ease – an important factor given they were all hand sewn.
Watch our video for a quick rundown, and then read on for more details about these uniquely American flags.
Also called the rebellious stripes flag, it featured five red stripes and four white stripes positioned vertically. It was used to signify the Sons of Liberty – a prominent group of individuals formed to protect the rights of colonists and fight taxation from the British government. Its famous members include John Hancock, John Adams, Paul Revere, and Patrick Henry.
New England Flag (1775)
Designed as a naval ensign to be flown on American ships, Colonel Joseph Reed suggested that all American warships fly a flag with the Massachusetts naval ensign in the canton (area at top left). A field of red, white, and blue stripes represents the 13 colonies. The pine tree is included as it had long been recognized as the symbol of the New England Colonies.
Cowpens Flag (1777)
According to some sources, this flag was first used in 1777 by the Third Maryland Regiment. There was no official pattern for how the stars were to be arranged. The flag was carried at the Battle of Cowpens, which took place on January 17, 1781 in South Carolina. The actual flag from that battle still hangs in the Maryland State House to this day.
Serapis Flag (1777)
This version is also known by several names, including the Franklin Flag and the Paul Jones Flag. It was actually created to help John Paul Jones, who was one of the first well-known naval fighters in the American Revolutionary War. He was running roughshod over the British Merchant Marine at the time and naval law stated that captaining a ship without flying an officially recognized flag was grounds for being hanged as a pirate. The flag appeased those who opposed him and he was never formally charged with piracy.
Great Star Flag (1837)
The idea behind this flag, which was originally created by Captain Samuel Chester Reid of the U.S. Navy, was to make it easy to add stars as more states were added to the Union. The design was never officially accepted by Congress, but it was a popular design during the early 19th Century. It fell out of favor following the Civil War, as the increasing number of stars needed made its design obsolete.
34 Star Flag (1861)
This flag is notable not because it includes the then-new state of Kansas, but because it remained the official American flag during the Civil War, despite there officially being fewer states than stars. This was because President Lincoln refused to allow any stars to be removed despite the South's secession. After the war, the era of unofficial flags came to an end, leading to the consistent designs that have been created ever since.
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