Betsy Ross: Patriot

The Our Presidents series put out by Spirit of America is one of the best introductions for young readers to the lives of the Presidents. The Our People series is the second installment of the Spirit of America collection and is a biographical series of famous historical figures, the events that shaped their lives, their accomplishments, and their impact on the nation. From that perspective it is interesting that the editors would devote a volume to the live of Betsy Ross, who has always been much more of a legendary figure than one whose story is part of the verifiable historical record. Vicky Franchino's position is this book is that many people believe Betsy Ross made the firs flag of the United States, and while no can prove this to be true, it is clear that she was a patriot woman who loved her country. At the end of this volume Franchino tells how the legend of Betsy Ross can be traced back to a speech given by her grandson three decades after she died; the accompanying Interesting Fact on that page points out that records show Betsy Ross was paid on May 29, 1777 for flags she made for the Pennsylvania Navy. Consequently, this book will confront young readers with the question of how historians know what is and what is not "true" when they decide what to put in a history book. From the limited historical record, which indicates Betsy Ross was an excellent seamstress and a true patriot, Franchino tells the story of a young woman growing up during the American Revolution. The story of how George Washington showed Betsy Ross a sketch of a flag with thirteen red and white strips and a circle of white stars on a blue field that she then sewed together is well known to most people. What young readers will find interesting is the story of a young woman who became a widow two times before she turned 30. The life lived by Betsy Griscom Ross Ashburn Claypoole was not all that unusual for the times and even if she did not make the first American flag this would still be the fascinating story of an American woman who lived during the formative years in the history of the nation. The book is illustrated with historical drawings and etchings, many of which have been colorized. There are informative sidebars on Flag Day, the Betsy Ross House, and Flying the Flag. In addition to the biographical details of the life of Betsy Ross the history of the flag is another key part of the book, which certainly meets the standards set by other Spirit of America volumes.