GREENSBORO, N.C. — We celebrate Flag Day on June 14, and the 31 words we all know by heart, yes, the Pledge of Allegiance, to the flag.
What's interesting about the words in the pledge, is all the words weren't always there.
When the pledge first came out in the 1800s, the author Francis Bellamy, wrote the pledge for all countries to use. The words “of United State of America” were not included.
It wasn’t until 1923 that the words “of the United States of America” were included. The pledge stayed that way for decades. It changed in 1954 when President Eisenhower encouraged Congress to add “under God” to combat the threats of communism.
USHistory.org includes:
Section 4 of the Flag Code states:
Just like the pledge, the flag itself has gone through changes.
The Carolina Field of Honor at Triad Park in Kernersville displays each flag as a plaque giving you the history.
The first flag you’ll see is the Sons of Liberty flag of 1775. It's known as the Rebellious Stripes. The Sons of Liberty included Samuel Adams, Paul Revere, and John Hancock, who planned and carried out the Boston Tea Party.
Another flag is the Grand Union flag. It was the unofficial flag on Independence Day on July 4, 1776. It's considered the first flag of America.
On June 14, 1777, the Second Continental Congress adopted the first flag we recognize today. It has 13 red and white alternating stripes and the stars represent the number of states.