Star-Spangled Banner: Our Nation and Its Flag

No matter what country one lives in,their flag means something to them.However;flags of a country mean a great deal to people of other countries as well. This is an excellent book describing the history of America's flag.It covers the history of the development of the flag as well as other flags that were used up to the time that the flag ,as we know it today, came into being. It would be a fair guess that the American flag is probably the most recognized flag that the world has ever seen.There are some flags that have been around longer,but no flag has ever proclaimed the spirit of a country so well as the Star-Spangled Banner. It has accompanied Americans as they travelled the world in trade,helping people in every concievable manner,and particulary in times of war.Many countries have seen enemies invade their homelands,massacred their people,destroyed their cities and when all hope seemed lost;the American flag was was welcomed sight bringing peace and hope back to their homelands. At home ,the American flag has been ever present throughout every part of the country's history.Whether fkying from one's home,a patch on a uniform,leading a parade,decorating a platform,adding color to an event,flying over a school or the country's Capital,decorating a fallen vetern's casket or grave,commemorating man's landing on the Moon,a ceremony of Pledging Alliegence,proudly adorning a lapel,used endlessly in art,and every manner imaginable by people to express pride in their country and remind themselves ,and the world at large, that their dream is Life,Liberty and The Pursuit of Happiness for all. There are also those greatest moments in history which are remembered with the American flag front and center.These moments,such as during the bombardment of Fort McHenry by the British,Flags adorning posters calling for Patriotism during War,Marines risking thir lives to raise the Stars and Srripes at Iwo Jima,moments of great country grief at the killing of their Presidents Lincoln and Kennedy,and particularly during those days terrible days of national grief combined with resolve of 9/11 that this book is meant to remind people that whatever America faced in the past or will face in the future;one thing is for certain..The Star-Spangled Banner will be there in all its Glory. When one sees the flag of a country,it seems that it represents the government of that country.It is not the same when one sees the American flag.The message that it carries is that it is the flag of the American people.