I hope you all have a lovely fourth, with lots of fireworks, festivity, and remembrance of those who still give their lives to keep our country free. We're going to have a barbecue, and possibly dye some drinks red, white, and blue. Nothing like being patriotic AND festive, right?
God bless, and have a blessed, and wonderful, Fourth of July.
Red for hardiness and valour,duty done with greatest honour,
White for clean, no stain to start: pure and innocent of heart.
Blue that to justice we'll adhere: vigilant to persevere.
On the field are fifty stars, flanked by thirteen shining bars.
Fifty stars for fifty states, bound by what the flag relates.
Flanking them, in red and white, thirteen stripes recall the fight.
Freedom won, declared today. May God bless the U.S.A.!
You can follow the links for more info about the fourth, and the flag. Also, Liz Straw is having a giveaway over at her blog, as is Carrie Butler over at her blog. Please head on over and participate!
Once upon a time, our flag depicted thirteen alternating red-and-white stripes flanking a field of blue, and spangled with a constellation of thirteen white stars.
This was the first American flag.
Over the years the flag altered ever so subtly. It sported fifteen stripes and fifteen stars at one point, then changed back to thirteen stripes with a star for every state that was at that time part of the United States as a whole. For a while the stars were arranged in six horizontal lines of eight, with the points of the stars pointing up. Now, the stars are arranged in in five horizontal rows with vertical rows of six in each row, and staggered below that are four horizontal rows with vertical rows of five stars in each row, to create a sum total of fifty.
The colours used for this star-spangled banner give deeper meaning to the flag as a whole, and impart a feeling of pride and honour. The red used in the seven red stripes symbolizes hardiness and valour. The white used for the alternating six white stripes and the fifty stars symbolizes purity and innocence. The rich, deep blue used for the stars' field symbolizes vigilance, perseverance, and justice.
Red for hardiness and valour,duty done with greatest honour,
White for clean, no stain to start: pure and innocent of heart.
Blue that to justice we'll adhere: vigilant to persevere.
On the field are fifty stars, flanked by thirteen shining bars.
Fifty stars for fifty states, bound by what the flag relates.
Flanking them, in red and white, thirteen stripes recall the fight.
Freedom won, declared today. May God bless the U.S.A.!
To celebrate the day, enjoy these few videos:
The National Anthem, as sung by Josh Groban (who just happens to be my favourite singer EVER!!)
God Bless America, as sung by Josh Groban (favourite singer, remember?) AND
Proud to be an American, by Lee Greenwood (since I couldn't find Josh singing it. LOL)
(One last tidbit of information: The words of our National Anthem were first conceived on September 14th, 1814, when Francis Scott Keys observed the soldiers at Fort McHenry in Baltimore raise the flag to signify their victory over the British Force in the War of 1812.)
