Sets aside the Betsy Ross myth and focuses on the sources and meanings of the symbols that make up the American flag.

From the Norman Invasion in 1066 to the eve of the First World War, Stick a Flag in It is a thousand-year jocular journey through the history of Britain and its global empire. The British people have always been eccentric, occasionally ingenious and, sure, sometimes unhinged – from mad monarchs to mass-murdering lepers. Here, Arran Lomas shows us how they harnessed those traits to forge the British nation, and indeed the world, we know today. Follow history’s greatest adventurers from the swashbuckling waters of the Caribbean to the vast white wasteland of the Antarctic wilderness, like the British spy who infiltrated a top-secret Indian brothel and the priest who hid inside a wall but forgot to bring a packed lunch. At the very least you’ll discover Henry VIII’s favourite arse-wipe, whether the flying alchemist ever made it from Scotland to France, and the connection between Victorian coffee houses and dildos. Forget what you were taught in school – this is history like you’ve never heard it before, full of captivating historical quirks that will make you laugh out loud and scratch your head in disbelief.

Traces the history of the American flag from the arrival of the first explorers to the present day. Includes poems and songs concerning the flag.

"A full-color photographic book presenting 100 American flag artifacts, artworks, and memorabilia from one of the world's most eminent collections"--Provided by publisher.

Betsy Ross is repeatedly credited with creating the first US flag. Students often learn that when they’re first studying American history. However, most historians agree that she probably didn’t! In fact, Ross’s grandson may have made up the story. After reading about this widespread American myth, readers will be eager to learn others. This valuable volume, full of fun fact boxes and beautiful images, exposes historical myths but also explains the facts behind them, making it an excellent resource for any social studies collection.

The thirteen-stripe, fifty-star flag is as familiar an American icon as any that has existed in the nation's history. Yet the history of the flag, especially its origins, is cloaked in myth and misinformation. Flag: An American Biography rectifies that situation by presenting a lively, comprehensive, illuminating look at the history of the American flag from its beginnings to today. Journalist and historian Marc Leepson uncovers scores of little-known, fascinating facts as he traces the evolution of the American flag from the colonial period to the twenty-first century. Flag sifts through the historical evidence to---among many other things---uncover the truth behind the Betsy Ross myth and to discover the true designer of the Stars and Stripes. It details the many colorful and influential Americans who shaped the history of the flag. "Flag," as the novelist Nelson DeMille says in his preface, "is not a book with an agenda or a subjective point of view. It is an objective history of the American flag, well researched, well presented, easy to read and understand, and very informative and entertaining." "Our love for the flag may be incomprehensible to others, but at least we now have a comprehensive guide to its unfolding." ---The Wall Street Journal "The fascination of history is in its details, and the author of Flag: An American Biography knows how to find them and turn them into compelling reading.... This book brings out the irony, humor, myth, and behind-the-scenes happenings that make our flag's 228-year history so fascinating." ---The Saturday Evening Post "Timely and insightful." ---The Dallas Morning News

Do you know why the US flag has stars and stripes on it? What does the flag stand for, and why do we say the Pledge of Allegiance? Join Mr. Gomez's class as they study the flag to find out! They'll learn when the first American flag was made, what the Pledge of Allegiance means, and why we still honor the flag today.