304F Summer 2025 The Flag of the United States: Origins, Myths, and Legends

The flag of the United States is a familiar and popular symbol, as well as the subject of hundreds of books. However our knowledge of its origins is actually rather sparse, and writers’ attempts to fill the void have produced a thicket of mythology and misinformation. This course will cover the historical evidence for the origins of the American flag and examine some of the many myths that have become attached to it over the years, including the famous story of Betsy Ross. It will also discuss the rules for handling and displaying the flag and some of the controversies they’ve generated.

Peter Ansoff is retired from a career as a support contractor for U.S. Navy ship acquisition programs and has been a member of OLLI since 2017.He is the past president of the North American Vexillological Association, an international organization dedicated to the study of flags.