Flag Day

The Continental Congress adopted the resolution for the flag of the United States on June 14, 1777, but the first claim of a Flag Day celebration was not until 1861 in Hartford, CT. For nearly a century after this, many attempts increased the popularity of June 14 Flag Day commemorations. However, it was not until 1949 that Congress approved — and President Harry Truman signed into law — the national Flag Day observance.
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Full list of words from this list:

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  1. banner
    any distinctive flag
    On September 14, 1814...detained aboard a British ship during the bombardment of Ft. McHenry, Francis Scott Key witnessed at dawn the failure of the British attempt to take Baltimore. Based on this experience, he wrote a poem that poses the question "Oh, say does that Star-Spangled Banner yet wave?"...Long before the Civil War "The Star Spangled Banner" became the musical and lyrical embodiment of the American flag. Library of Congress
  2. billow
    rise up as if in waves
    Three days later, as the nation mourned, the flag was flown at half-staff over the firehouse to honor the sacrifices of those who lost their lives, especially their fellow firefighters. As the flag billowed in the breeze, the dust fell away, once again revealing the stars and stripes...bowed at half-staff, but not broken. U.S. Army
  3. bunting
    a loosely woven fabric used for flags, etc.
    Across the capital and many parts of Britain, shops and public areas are bedecked with Union Flag bunting and street parties are planned. Reuters
  4. ensign
    an emblem flown as a symbol of nationality
    The U.S. Navy’s ensign is the same as the national flag, but many other navies have distinctive naval ensigns which are "worn" by their war vessels. Britannica
  5. flag
    a rectangular piece of cloth of distinctive design
    Both President Wilson, in 1916, and President Coolidge, in 1927, issued proclamations asking for June 14 to be observed as the National Flag Day. But it wasn’t until August 3, 1949, that Congress approved the national observance, and President Harry Truman signed it into law. U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs
  6. flagship
    the ship that carries the commander of a fleet and flies his flag
    The admiral’s bridge is located in the island, just below the navigation bridge. There was not always an admiral on Intrepid. But when there was, Intrepid became a flagship, the lead ship in a group of vessels. Ships traditionally fly a flag designating that an admiral is on board, hence the term “flagship.” Intrepid Museum
  7. jack
    small flag indicating a ship's nationality
    A jack is a flag corresponding in appearance to the union or canton of the national ensign. In the United States Navy, it is a blue flag containing a star for each state. Naval History and Heritage Command
  8. Jolly Roger
    a flag with a white skull and crossbones, often indicating a pirate ship
    The term 'Jolly Roger' originally referred to any sort of flag raised by pirates and privateers (state-sponsored pirates) and designs certainly varied. The name 'Jolly Roger' has since come to signify one particular type of pirate flag: a black background with a white human skull set above two crossed bones, also in white. World History Encyclopedia
  9. mast
    any sturdy upright pole
    The United States flag flies at half-staff or at half- mast when the nation or a state is in mourning. usa.gov
  10. Old Glory
    the national flag of the United States of America
    Old Glory, the weather-beaten 17-by-10-foot banner that has long been a primary NMAH [National Museum of American History] artifact, is second only to Francis Scott Key’s Star-Spangled Banner as a patriotic symbol, and is the source of the term now applied generically to all American flags. Smithsonian Magazine
  11. pennant
    a flag that usually tapers and is longer than it is wide
    The streamer (now known as a pendant, or pennant) was a long tapering flag, 60 to 18 feet (18 to 5.5 metres) long and about 24 feet (7 metres) broad at the hoist, ending in two points. Because of its great length, almost its only use was at sea. Britannica
  12. red flag
    a flag that serves as a warning signal
    House after house was decorated with a tiny red flag, the sign that yellow fever had invaded it. An American Plague
  13. standard
    any distinctive flag
    In Europe, flags were subdivided according to their shape and purpose into standards, banners, guidons, pennons, and streamers. There were also many flags of a personal, family, or local significance that were of a different, and usually more complex, pattern. Of the main types, the standard was the largest and was intended, from its size, to be stationary. Britannica
  14. standard-bearer
    a soldier who carries the unit flag in a parade or battle
    Her uncle sent a standard-bearer ahead of them, a double banner flying from his staff; the moon-and-falcon of House Arryn on high, and below it his own black fish. A Game of Thrones
  15. Star-Spangled Banner
    the national flag of the United States of America
    On September 14, 1814...detained aboard a British ship during the bombardment of Ft. McHenry, Francis Scott Key witnessed at dawn the failure of the British attempt to take Baltimore. Based on this experience, he wrote a poem that poses the question "Oh, say does that Star-Spangled Banner yet wave?"...Long before the Civil War "The Star Spangled Banner" became the musical and lyrical embodiment of the American flag. Library of Congress
  16. streamer
    a long flag; often tapering
    The streamer (now known as a pendant, or pennant) was a long tapering flag, 60 to 18 feet (18 to 5.5 metres) long and about 24 feet (7 metres) broad at the hoist, ending in two points. Because of its great length, almost its only use was at sea. Britannica
  17. union
    device on a national flag emblematic of joined sovereignties
    ...The flag of the United States shall be of thirteen stripes of alternate red and white, with a union of thirteen stars of white in a blue field, representing the new constellation. U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs
  18. Union Jack
    the national flag of the United Kingdom
    Of note is the British flag, the Union Jack, which incorporates the Crosses of St. George (England), St. Andrew (Scotland), and St. Patrick (Ireland). Britannica
  19. vexillologist
    a person who studies flags
    Among them is Ted Kaye, a Pacific Northwest-based vexillologist — someone who studies flags — who recently challenged Seattle to adopt a better design for its banner. The Seattle Times
  20. vexillology
    the study of flags
    The scholarly study of the history, symbolism, etiquette, design, manufacture, and other aspects of flags is known as vexillology (from the Latin vexillum, “banner”). Britannica
  21. waft
    a long flag; often tapering
    While some may still acknowledge an upside-down ensign as a signal of distress, it is no longer recognized under international rules; and that the waft, also previously used, is now entirely obsolete... Flags Of The World
  22. white flag
    a banner used to signal a surrender or ceasefire
    In more recent history, the white flag has become an internationally recognized symbol not only for surrender but also for the wish to initiate ceasefires and conduct battlefield negotiations. History.com
Created on Tue May 09 09:54:37 EDT 2023 (updated Mon May 22 13:55:37 EDT 2023)

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