Brandywine flag facts for kids
The Brandywine Flag is a special flag from the American Revolutionary War. It was carried by a group of soldiers called Captain Robert Wilson's company, which was part of the 7th Pennsylvania Regiment. This flag became famous after it was used in a big fight called the Battle of Brandywine on September 11, 1777. The flag itself is mostly red, and in its top corner (called the canton), it has a smaller image of an American flag with red and white colors.
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The Flag's History: Where It Flew
This flag might have been used in other important battles too! Some stories say it flew even earlier at the Battle of Cooch's Bridge in Delaware on September 3, 1777. Captain Wilson might have also carried it to the Battle of Paoli on September 21 and the Battle of Germantown on October 4. These were all key moments during the fight for American independence.
A Special Design: Stars and Stripes
The Brandywine Flag is very interesting because it might have been one of the first American flags to show both stars and stripes! Even though it was a flag for a local group of soldiers (a militia company) and not the main army led by George Washington, its design was quite modern for its time.
The Official Flag Design
In 1777, the American government made an official rule, called the Flag Resolution of 1777, about what the United States flag should look like. It said the flag should have 13 stripes and 13 stars, one for each of the original 13 states. However, the rule didn't say exactly how the stars should be arranged. Because of this, many different versions of the flag existed back then.
How the Stars Were Arranged
The small American flag shown on the Brandywine Flag's canton has its stars arranged in a pattern of 4-5-4. This design was probably inspired by flags made by a person named Francis Hopkinson, who is believed to have designed one of the first official U.S. flags.
Where to See the Flag Today
Today, you can see the original Brandywine Flag in Philadelphia at the Independence National Historical Park. It's a great place to visit and learn more about American history! This flag was even featured on a 33-cent postage stamp in the year 2000. It was part of a special series from the U.S. Postal Service called Stars and Stripes. Sometimes, the colors or patterns on stamps are changed a little to make them look better, so the stamp might not be an exact copy of the flag's original appearance.
