On July 14th, Rotarian Karen Bogisch presented us with a number of interesting facts about Flag Day and the United States flag including the following:
* Wisconsin teacher Bernard Cigrand originated the idea for an annual flag day in 1885.
* Despite the stories about Betsy Ross, the first U.S. flag was apparently designed by Francis Hopkinson, a delegate from New Jersey who signed the Declaration of Independence.
* The lyrics of “The Star-Spangled Banner” are set to the tune of “To Anacreon in Heaven,” a popular British drinking song.
* A 17-year-old Ohio student named Bob Heft created the design for the flag with the fifty stars.
We then watched a video on the history of the U.S. flag that was from the National Constitution Center that discussed the various versions of the U.S. flag and the history behind each one. It was a very enlightening presentation!