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The U.S. Government for Kids and Teens: Flag of the United States

Resources for learning about the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the three branches of government, national symbols, and more!

Quick Facts

current u.s. flag

What Do the Parts of the Flag Mean? from usa.gov

The flag of the United States is a symbol of freedom before which Americans recite the pledge of allegiance.

The flag's 13 red and white stripes represent the 13 original colonies. Its 50 white stars on a blue background represent the 50 states.

Each of the colors on the flag has a meaning:

  • Red: valor and bravery
  • White: purity and innocence
  • Blue: vigilance, perseverance, and justice

A star is added to the flag when a new state joins the United States. The flag was last modified on July 4, 1960, when Hawaii was incorporated as a state.

The Flag's Nickname from cia.gov

"Old Glory"

How to Handle the Flag

How to Fold the American Flag from Scout Life Magazine

Explora - Elementary

Explore a large assortment of resources designed for K-5 students to help them learn about the United States flag. Explora - Elementary contains relevant articles from children's magazines, ebooks, and reference materials. 

Note: Articles can be translated into over 130 language for ESL students. When accessing articles, select Online Full Text versions rather than PDF versions when available to utilize the translation feature. Open the Online Full Text version of the article, and then click the globe icon in the top right corner to access the translation feature.

Explora - Secondary Schools

Discover a large collection of ebooks, articles, and reference materials all about the United States flag, perfect for middle and high school students. Below is a sample of available titles.

Note: Articles can be translated into over 130 language for ESL students. When accessing articles, select Online Full Text versions rather than PDF versions when available to utilize the translation feature. Open the Online Full Text version of the article, and then click the globe icon in the top right corner to access the translation feature.

Search our Catalog

Use the search box below to find items in our catalog.

What Does the U.S. Flag Mean? from Colossal Cranium

The History of the Pledge of Allegiance from The Daily Bellringer

 

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.

Scholastic Teachables

u.s. flag clipart

Scholastic Teachables offers a variety of lessons and clip art to supplement your classroom activities. Below is a sample of lessons on the United States flag.

Hoopla

World Book

Read or listen to reference entries about the United States flag, plus see the correlated Missouri Learning Standards for each article. Also, browse art featuring the flag. Select articles from World Book Kids for students in grades K-5, World Book Student for students in grades 6-12, and Enciclopedia Estudiantil Hallazgos for students in grades K-5.

U.S. History in Context