Each flag (except #11) has an inscription the base.
1. St. George Cross - was the first English flag used in North America. It was flown by John Cabot in 1497 under the reign of King Henry VII.
2. The Kings Colors - in 1620, when the Mayflower landed in America, a new flag was used for the colonies. King James I took the cross of St George and superimposed it into the Scottish flag of St Andrew and called it the Kings Cross.
3. The British Red Ensign - in 1707 Queen Anne adopted a new flag for England and her colonies. The Kings Colors were placed on a field of red. This was called the British Red Ensign. Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown under this flag.
4. The Continental Flag - During the Revolutionary War the colonists began unfurling new Flags. Among them was the popular Continental Flag. It replaced the Kings Colors with a pine tree, symbolic of the New England way of life. Many historians believe this banner was flown during the famous Battle of Bunker Hill.
5. The Pine Tree Flag - In 1775 the Colonies launch some floating batteries in the New England area. These vessels were put into service against the British defenses. The flag flown on these ships was the famous Massachusetts Colony Flag or the Pine Tree Flag.
6. The Gadsden Flag - One of the first rattlesnake flags was devised by Col. Gadsden of South Carolina. It was claimed to be flown by Commodore Esek Hopkins, first Commander of the Continental Fleet. The inscription was intended as a warning to the British - meaning it was as dangerous to tread on the colonies as it would be to step on a rattlesnake.
7. The Grand Union Flag - In 1776 the colonies adopted the 13 stripes register presenting the 13 colonies and kept the Kings Colors in the canton. Illustrating their allegiance to England, but their willingness to fight for the rights and justice. This flag was raised at Cambridge by General Washington and was called the Grand Union or Cambridge Flag.
8. The Betsy Ross Flag - The original Betsy Ross flag was officially adopted by act of Congress on June 14, 1777. It is generally believed that General George Washington was instrumental in designing the Betsy Ross Flag.
9. The Star-Spangled Banner - In 1795, shortly before the War of 1812, two new stars and two new states were added to the union and the flag was changed from 13 to 15 stars and stripes. This Star-Spangled Banner was the inspiration for Francis Scott Key to write our national anthem.
10. Old Glory - As the United States expanded and more states entered the Union, it became necessary to adopt a practical design to represent each new state. April 4th, 1818, Congress passed legislation establishing the number of Stripes at 7 red and 6 white and an additional star for every new state joining the Union.
11. 50-Star Flag: Executive Order of President Eisenhower dated August 21, 1959 - provided for the arrangement of the stars in nine rows of stars staggered horizontally and eleven rows of stars staggered vertically. This is the current flag of the United States. Hawaii was admitted as the 50th state on August 21st, 1959. The 27th flag of the United States became the official flag on July 4th, 1960. Nine presidents have served under this flag; Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1961), John F. Kennedy (1961-1963), Lyndon B. Johnson (1963-1969), Richard M. Nixon (1969-1974), Gerald R. Ford (1974-1977), Jimmy Carter (1977-1981), Ronald W. Reagan (1981-1989), George Bush (1989-1993), William J. Clinton (1993-2001) and George W. Bush (2001-present). (
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