June 14 is Flag Day, which commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States in 1777. Our nation"s first official flag had 13 stars and 13 red and white stripes to represent the original 13 colonies that broke from British rule. The stars were arranged on a blue background to represent a "new constellation." In 1795, two more stars and two stripes were added to reflect the entry of Vermont and Kentucky to the Union. Then in 1818, Congress passed a plan to go back to 13 stripes and add only stars for new states. The current version of the flag has been in effect since 1960, after Hawaii became a state the prior year. The flags we"re looking at here are flying in New Jersey"s Liberty State Park, with the Statue of Liberty in the background.
Celebrating Flag Day
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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Tintern Abbey, Wales
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Making it work—in Norway
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A grand event
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Happy Mother’s Day
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A stroll above the stratosphere
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That bill s just not going to fit
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World Rainforest Day
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A horse of many colors
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Everest s shadow on the Himalayas
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This view is brought to you by…
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Celebrating Chile’s Independence Day
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May the Fourth be with you…
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Giving Tuesday
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International Day for Biodiversity
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World Olive Tree Day
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Paleontology meets art
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Big dreams require a big sleigh
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Signs of life in the Empty Quarter
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Long-eared owl in the Czech Republic
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National Merry-Go-Round Day
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Aw shucks, It s Oyster Day
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Flocking together in the Antarctic
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Fashion models of the avian world
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The moon rises for Mid-Autumn Festival
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St. Patricks Day
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Where do those colors come from?
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Here s looking Atchafalaya
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A festival of colors
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Commemorating the life of a famous railroad conductor
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Sitting down and taking a stand