History of the National Flag of the United States of America

The work traces the origin and meaning of the devices combined in the national flag of the United States by assembling authentic statements, contemporary letters, and official changes into a documentary chain that disputes the view that the symbols were taken from a single coat of arms. An introductory survey places the flag in a long history of standards and ensigns from antiquity to modern Europe, explaining forms and functions of emblems. The account then follows the flag's evolution, describes the choices behind its colors and devices, and argues that those emblems chiefly express a commitment to union and national identity.