Betsy Ross sewed the first American flag
| Betsy Ross sewed the first American flag | |
|---|---|
| UNSUPPORTED | |
| "Philadelphia upholsterer Betsy Ross designed and sewed the first American flag in 1776 at the request of George Washington." | |
| Domain | History |
| Tactic | Fabrication |
| Era | Historical |
| First seen | 1870 |
| Origin | A paper presented in 1870 to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania by Ross's grandson, William J. Canby, based on family stories |
| Last reviewed | 2026-10-27 |
| Further reading: books on History | |
The claim that Betsy Ross sewed the first American flag is a cherished part of American patriotic history. Ross was a real upholsterer in Philadelphia who made flags. The story that George Washington, Robert Morris and George Ross visited her in 1776 and asked her to sew the first Stars and Stripes, and that she suggested using five-pointed stars, comes from her grandson, William Canby, who presented it in 1870, nearly a century later and decades after her death. No documents from the Revolutionary period confirm the meeting. The status here is Unsupported because the story cannot be proven or disproven, but it relies entirely on family tradition.
What the evidence shows
- Family tradition. Canby said his grandmother told him the story when he was a child. He also collected affidavits from family members.
- Documented flag work. Records from 1777 show that the Pennsylvania State Navy Board paid Ross for making "ships colours." This confirms she made flags but not that she made the first national flag.
- Flag Resolution. The Continental Congress adopted the flag design on June 14, 1777, describing 13 stripes and 13 stars, without specifying the arrangement or naming a designer.
- Francis Hopkinson. Hopkinson, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, submitted bills to Congress in 1780 claiming credit for designing the flag and other symbols. Congress did not pay him, partly because others had contributed.
- Popularization. The story spread after the 1876 centennial, and a painting by Charles Weisgerber in 1893 helped make it iconic.
Why it persists
The story provides a female founding figure and a personal origin story for a national symbol. It became part of school lessons and civic celebrations, and Ross's house in Philadelphia is a popular tourist site.
Lessons for readers
- Family stories recorded long after events are weak evidence.
- Absence of contemporary documents matters.
- A real person's genuine work can become attached to a legend.
- National symbols attract origin myths.
See also
- Paul Revere shouted "The British are coming!"
- George Washington could not tell a lie about the cherry tree
- Ellis Island officials changed immigrants' names
Sources
- Marla R. Miller, Betsy Ross and the Making of America (Henry Holt, 2010).
- Marc Leepson, Flag: An American Biography (Thomas Dunne Books, 2005).