THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

          I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the
Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty
and justice for all.

The Pledge to the US Flag was written by Francis Bellamy, circulation
manager for The Youth's Companion magazine. First published in the
September 8, 1892 issue, youth recited it country-wide on Columbus Day,
October 12, 1892. Congress did not officially recognize the Pledge until 1942.


Flag Day - June 14th

The stars and stripes pattern for our US Flag was adopted in 1777 by the
Continental Congress. Celebrated first in 1877 on the Flag's centennial
birthday, Flag Day became a day of National Observance in 1949, with a bill
signed by President Harry S. Truman. 


The Star Spangled Banner

Our National Anthem, The Star Spangled Banner, was penned by Francis
Scott Key, who watched the British bombardment of Fort McHenry in 1814.
The fort withstood the attack. Key, inspired by the American Flag still flying
above the fort at dawn, wrote the verse and set it to an English tune popular
at that time.

This song assumed its designation as our National Anthem by Executive
Order in 1916. An Act of Congress confirmed the Order in 1931.


The Stars and Stripes Forever

John Philip Sousa wrote The Stars and Stripes Forever on December 25,
1896, while vacationing in Europe. It is listed as the Official March of the
United States of America in US Code, Title 36, Chapter 10, Section 188.


Current US Flag

Our current US Flag - which includes fifty stars - one for each of the fifty
States in the Union, was adopted on July 4, 1960.