Category: American Flag

Valley Forge Flags

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Looking for a Valley Forge Flag? The United States Flag Store is the largest vendor of Valley Forge flags and accessories. At the U.S. Flag Store’s website, you’ll find the widest variety and most complete selection of Valley Forge flags.

The Valley Forge Flag Company began as a burlap sac company in 1882. During World War I, the company became a surplus and began making American flags. Due to increasing demand for the company’s expertly sewn products, the Valley Forge Flag Company opened a small sewing factory in Spring City, PA in 1932. Since its inception, the Valley Forge Flag Company remains a family-owned business that manufactures U.S. flags with exclusively American-made materials. The Valley Forge Flag Company is also a founding member of the Flag Manufacturers Association of American, an organization committed to educating the public and flag sellers about the importance of 100% American-made flags.

The Valley Forge American Flags have been flown during many significant American wars and events. During World War II, a Valley Forge flag was raised on Mount Suribachi in Iwo Jima, after the U.S. military liberated more than 20,000 prisoners at Buchenwald (flown at half mast), and after liberating several French cities on D-Day. On July 20, 1969, Buzz Aldrin placed a Valley Forge American flag on the moon. Valley Forge Flags also used during all of the American wars since World War II, at military funerals, and in several Hollywood films.

The United States Flag Store provides a great way for you to own these very special flags at unbeatable prices. The Valley Forge nylon American flags are beautifully sewn and have embroidered stars. They can be flown outside, are designed to resist fading and fraying and have reinforced fly ends.

The Valley Forge Best cotton flags are made of heavyweight 2×2 ply mercerized cotton, combining rich, vibrant, long-lasting colors with durable quality. The best fabric for outdoor use, the cotton flags have four rows of stitching for ultimate durability in a cotton flag.

Valley Forge also manufactures a line of Koralex II American flags. Koralex II is a polyester fabric that is designed to look like coarse cotton. Koralex is designed for outdoor use and resists fading and fraying more effectively than nylon flags.

These are just three of the most basic Valley Forge American flags sold at the United States Flag Store’s website. Be sure to visit the site for Valley Forge flagpoles, residential kits, pleated fans, and heritage series flags at the best prices on the web!

American Flag Pins – Lapel Pins

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Iwo Jima Pin

American flag pins are a great way to support the U.S. without overdoing it. Don’t get me wrong: American flag t-shirts are awesome, but sometimes they can be a bit much. American flag pins, on the other hand, are rarely seen as inappropriate. You can wear them to school, church, work, or just around the house. With American flag pins, you’ll always be on the classy side of life.

Here at the United States Flag Store, we offer a wide selection of American flag pins, including one commemorating the Battle of Iwo Jima. We also offer service pins, military pins, and those featuring the support-our-troops yellow ribbon.

If you happen to be from Texas, Canada or the U.K., we also offer American flag pins featuring the U.S. flag coupled with your nation of state’s flag. There’s even a pin displaying the U.S. flag and the Christian flag side by side, making it easy for folks every where to express their love-of-country and faith at the same time.

American flag pins: they’re the way to go when supporting your country is one of your top priorities, no matter where you happen to be.

Temporary Tattoos

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Temporary tattoos are a great and fun way to show your pride without the cost and permanence of getting the real thing!  The U.S. Flag Store has a great selection of temporary tattoos that are non-toxic, safe, and fun to wear.  These tattoos are easy to apply, last for several days—even with showering and swimming—and are easily removed.  Most tattoo packages include 1 large version and two smaller versions of the design.

Whether it’s for the Fourth of July, Memorial Day or even Labor Day, the U.S. Flag Store’s American Flag Temporary Tattoos are a great way to show your patriotic spirit. These detailed tattoos, including all thirteen stripes and all fifty stars.  The U.S. Flag Store also sells Confederate Flag temporary tattoos, Betsy Ross Flag temporary tattoos, and an assortment of twenty four Patriotic temporary tattoos.  At a great price of $2.99, order a few packages for your family and friends and enjoy putting them on together!

If you have a loved one serving in the armed forces, the U.S. Flag Store offers a great selection of military temporary tattoos that you can easily apply to support your soldier. The U.S. Flag Store sells Army, Marine, Navy Seals, Coast Guard, Air Force, National Guard and POW MIA temporary tattoos.  On the Flag Store website, you’ll find that the U.S. Army and Air Force patches have two different designs, one with the official seal and one with a simple logo.

The skull and crossbones icon might be the first image that comes to mind when you think about traditional tattoos, and the U.S. Flag Store will not disappoint: check out the Jolly Roger Flag Temporary Tattoo.  With a black background, a grinning skill, and detailed crossbones, this tattoo is the perfect way to show your inner pirate!

U.S. Flag

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Probably one of the most recognized flags in the world, the flag of the United States was officially adopted in 1777, just two years after the U.S. declared independence. The flag is a rectangular shape and has thirteen horizontal stripes, alternating red and white colors, representing the thirteen original colonies that rebelled against the British monarchy in 1775.  The blue rectangle in the upper left corner contains fifty white, five-pointed stars, representing the fifty states.

When the U.S. flag was first created in 1777, it contained thirteen stars instead of the current fifty, representing the thirteen states that existed at the time. Most historians agree that Congressman Francis Hopkinson designed the flag, although popular historical tells us that the Philadelphia seamstress Betsy Ross made the first flag.

In January 1794, a new version of the flag was created with fifteen stripes and fifteen stars.  As the United States of America continued to grow and include more and more states, President Monroe signed the Act of April 4, 1818, mandating that the U.S. flag have the original thirteen stripes and that, on the fourth of July following the admission of a new state, a new star be added to the flag.  The fifty-star version of the flag was officially adopted in the Executive Order of President Eisenhower on August 21, 1959.

The flag has gone by many names, including the Stars and Stripes, the Old Glory, and The Star Spangled Banner.

The U.S. flag is flown at full staff on New Year’s Day (January 1), Martin Luther King Jr. Day (the third Monday in January), the Presidential Inauguration Day (January 20 every four years), Lincoln’s Birthday (February 12), Presidents’ Day (third Monday in February), Armed Forces Day (third Saturday in May), Memorial Day (last Monday in May; the flag is flown at half-staff until noon), Flag Day (June 14), Independence Day (July 4), Labor Day (first Monday in September), Constitution Day (September 17), Columbus Day (second Monday in October), Navy Day (October 27), Veterans Day (November 11), and Thanksgiving (fourth Thursday in November).

The flag is flown at half-staff on Peace Officers Memorial Day (May 15), Memorial Day (until noon), Korean War Veterans Day (July 27), Patriot Day (September 11), Fire Prevention Week (only the first day; first Sunday in October), and National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day (December 7).

Gadsden Flag T-Shirts – Don’t Tread On Me

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The Gadsden flag: it’s a symbol of freedom, a sign of resistance, a warning shot fired across the bow of those that might think it fit to infringe upon the freedoms of the citizens of this great nation. It bears but few simple words, but within their meaning lie the force of a great hurricane, and all those that gaze upon it cannot help but understand its most singular message: Don’t Tread on Me. Those that carry the Gadsden flag, whether it be with their hands or in their hearts, believe in the principles upon which the United States of America was founded, and upon which she shall continue to thrive.

In light of these immutable truths, the United States Flag Store has decided to offer its customers the chance to not only own the Gadsden flag, but to wear it upon their chests as well. Created by our own team of local designers, these Gadsden flag t-shirts are available exclusively on our Website. Choose between six original designs, each one unique from the next, and which have been given such fitting names as Patriots, Guns, and Fire.

The Gadsden flag was created by Christopher Gadsden in 1775. At the time, Gadsden was taking part in the Second Continental Congress, which had just created the United States Navy to keep British ships from reaching the colonies. A small group Marines, which happened to carry yellow drums with a rattlesnake and the words “Don’t Tread on Me” painted upon them, was given the mission of accompanying the Navy on its first mission.

Whether Gadsden was inspired by the drums or in fact created them himself is the subject of some debate. However, it’s an undeniable fact that Gadsden soon presented the Navy’s commander with a flag bearing the same design, and, as the saying goes, the rest is history.

Celebrate the Gadsden and all that it stands for by picking up a Gadsden t-shirt today!

Gadsden Flag: Its Place in Today’s Society

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Since the horrific attacks of September 11, 2001, the Gadsden flag has been flown throughout the United States by a great number of people.

Gadsden Flag

Customs officials at US ports as well as military personnel in every part of the country hoist the Gadsden flag on a daily basis. In fact, it’s now flown on all active naval ships, and the snake from the flag’s imagery now appears on the US Army Drill Sergeant Identification Badge.

US soccer fans have also begun using the Gadsden flag to support the nation’s team. Nike even uses the image of a snake wrapped around a soccer ball for its patriotic “Don’t Tread on Me” campaign, which supports the US men’s national team.

The Free State Project presented the town manager of Killington, Vermont, with a Gadsden flag after Killington decided to pursue secession from the state. The Free State Project also customized the Gadsden flag by switching out the rattlesnake for a porcupine, which is the organization’s official mascot.

The Gadsden flag is also flown for historical reasons in places like Charleston, South Carolina, where the flag’s designer, Christopher Gadsden, first presented the flag.

Band’s such as Metallica, who put the Gadsden flag’s snake of the cover of their “Black Album”, and 311 have used the flag as inspiration. The Gadsden flag can also be seen in the film, “The Patriot”.

Most recently, the Gadsden flag has been used during the 2009 Tea Party protests.

Christopher Gadsden – Creator of the Gadsden Flag

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Christopher Gadsden lived a long a storied life. He was, among other things, deeply involved in the American Revolution. However, Gadsden may be best known for having designed the Gadsden Flag.

Christopher Gadsden

Gadsden was born in Charleston, South Carolina on February 16, 1724. His father, Thomas Gadsden, sent him to be educated at a school near Bristol, England. Upon returning the States in 1740, Gadsden became an apprentice in a Philadelphia court house, and when his parents died one year later in 1741, he inherited a sizable fortune.

Starting in 1745, Gadsden spent time serving as a purser on a British warship, and by 1747 he had saved enough money to buy back the land that his father, a chronic gambler, had lost more than a decade earlier.

Gadsden soon became a prominent merchant in Charleston, and a wharf that he built there still bears his name to this day. However, despite being busy with his mercantile ventures, Gadsden found time in 1759 to captain a militia company during an expedition against the Cherokees.

In 1757, he was elected to the Common House of Assembly, and in 1765 the Assembly made him one of its delegates to the Stamp Act Congress in New York City. During the Congress, Gadsden’s addresses caught the attention of Samuel Adams and the two began a long friendship; Gadsden eventually came to be known as the “Samuel Adams of the South”.

Upon returning to South Carolina, Gadsden became a member of a secret organization of American patriots known as the Sons of Liberty, and by 1774 he’d been elected as a delegate to the First Continental Congress.

One year later, in 1775, Gadsden was serving as a member of the Second Continental Congress when it created the United States Navy to stop British ships from reaching the Colonies. The Congress also ordered that a group of Marines be got together to accompany the new Navy on its first mission, and the first men enlisted happened to carry yellow drums with the image of a rattlesnake poised to attack and the motto “Don’t Tread on Me” painted upon them.

Gadsden Flag

Whether Gadsden was inspired by the drums or had designed them himself is to this day unclear. However, what is clear is that the commander of the Navy, Esek Hopkins, received a flag from Gadsden bearing the same imagery as the soldiers’ drums before disembarking on the first mission. The South Carolina congressional journals also record that Gadsden presented a copy of the same flag to the state legislature in Charleston.

Later in life, Gadsden held a number of positions in South Carolina’s state government, including Lieutenant Governor, and became a prisoner of war before dying of an accidental fall in 1805. He is buried in St. Phillip’s Churchyard in Charleston, South Carolina.

Displaying the American Flag

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by Kathy McCarthy

Whenever anyone displays an American Flag there is a certain protocol that should be respected. Follow these 8 helpful tips to make sure that your American Flag is properly displayed.

  1. The flag should only be flown when the weather is clear, unless the flag and its hardware are designed to withstand the elements.
  2. The flag should never be altered in any way. Never affix any letter, number or symbol to an American Flag.
  3. The flag should never be used as a wrapping or covering.
  4. The flag should not be used for any decoration in general, nor should it be used for any advertising purpose. It should also never be used as part of a costume or athletic uniform except when worn as a flag patch such as those found on uniforms of service personnel and members of patriotic organizations.

    5. Eagle and American Flag

  5. The flag should be always be lighted. It can be displayed in sunlight, but if it is to be displayed at night it must be lit with an appropriate flagpole light.
  6. The flag should never be displayed, lowered or dipped except when mourning a death or being used as a distress signal.
  7. The flag should never touch the ground. When lowering the flag it should be received by an attendant, properly folded and stored.
  8. The flag should be kept in good repair, and when a flag is so worn that it cannot be repaired, it should be destroyed with dignity by burning it.

By following these 8 suggestions, you can proudly fly your American Flag and honor those who bravely fought for the freedom that you enjoy today!

My Country, My Flag

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by Kathy McCarthy

Whether you own a house or live in an apartment, you can always be proud of being an American by flying the American Flag. Whether you buy just the flag or a kit with all of the hardware and a pole, it’s pretty easy to fly your own flag. I know, because I just hung my first flag yesterday.

American Flag

I just moved into my first house. It’s a townhouse actually, but it’s all me. Last year I lived with a roommate, so I’m not really counting that place as my own. I grew up with my family  in a small community just outside of Sacramento, California. Though we lived in a neighborhood, our property was several acres. So every morning my Dad would carry the American Flag out to the front gate and place it on its hanger, and every evening my Mom would bring it in.

I never thought much of this little ritual until I moved out of my family’s house and no longer had a flag. I never realized that every day as I drove in an out of our driveway the flag reminded me of who I am and why I’m grateful to be an American.

I know that I have not sampled a lot of things that life has to offer just yet, but I do know enough to be grateful for all of the freedoms that I enjoy in my country. For example, I have not had to go to war, but many have, and I know that it’s to protect my rights, and me. When I see the flag it reminds me, and I am grateful.

Now I have hung my own flag in front of my house for all to see. I carry it out to hang it up in the morning, and I bring it in at nightfall. As I come and go throughout the day, I see it, and it reminds me that I am proud and grateful to be an American.

Gadsden Flag: What’s Up With The Snake?

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Whenever those Americans that don’t enjoy being “tread on” want to make their feelings known to anyone willing to listen, they’ll typically display the Gadsden Flag in some fashion. But what’s the deal with the rattlesnake? I mean, why not a lion or a bear? Personally, I’m much more afraid of spiders than any old rattlesnake.

Gadsden Flag

Well, folks, looks like we’ve got ol’ Ben Franklin to thank for the inspiration behind the Gadsden Flag, same as we’ve got him to thank for the lightning rod, Franklin stove, bifocal glasses, and, my own personal favorite, the flexible urinary catheter.

In 1754, during the time of the French and Indian War, Franklin published a woodcut of a snake chopped up into 8 sections in his Pennsylvania Gazette. This was meant to represent 8 different regions of the British colonies, with New England joined together to form the head and South Carolina bringing up the rear. Along with the image of the snake, Franklin also published the phrase “Join or Die”, which referred to his water polo team — just kidding, it obviously referred to the Union.

Join, or Die

As the American Revolution began to draw near, many people began using the rattlesnake as a symbol of the colonies, and even Paul Revere – yes, the famous “the British are coming” Paul Revere – got in on the act by adding the rattlesnake to the title of his paper, The Massachusetts Spy.

Finally, in December of 1775, Franklin published an essay in the Pennsylvania Journal. In the essay, he argued that the Colonies resembled a rattlesnake in that a rattlesnake never attacks without first giving a warning, or, in the words of Franklin, cautioning “against treading on her”.  However, according to Franklin, once in a fight, a rattlesnake never backs down. Also, Franklin believed that by keeping its fangs hidden inside its mouth, the rattlesnake wished to avoid any and all confrontations.

So those are the origins of the Gadsden Flag’s image of a mean rattlesnake. Stay tuned for more information on the Gadsden Flag!