Sunday, July 17, 2016

Pennsylvania State Flag History Today

By Ben Slow


One of the original 13 colonies, Pennsylvania was founded by William Penn as a haven for his fellow Quakers. Pennsylvania’s capital, Philadelphia, was the site of the first and second Continental Congresses in 1774 and 1775, the latter of which produced the Declaration of Independence, sparking the American Revolution. After the war, Pennsylvania became the second state, after Delaware, to ratify the U.S. Constitution.

In 2007, the State House of Representatives passed legislation to add “Pennsylvania” to the bottom of the flag in golden letters. However, as of 2015, the state Senate has taken no action on the bill.

During the phase of the Civil War, the Pennsylvania regiments used the Stars and Stripes flag, but in a modified format. The Pennsylvania Flag has a blue background, in the center of which there is a state coat of arms. The shape of the Pennsylvania Flag is said to be tending towards a squarish form than a rectangular one.

The Pennsylvania state flag’s dark blue background is required to be the same color as the blue in the United States flag. The identical color is meant to signify Pennsylvania’s bond with the U.S. Similarly, the bald eagle perched at the top of state’s coat of arms also represents Pennsylvania’s loyalty to the U.S.

The olive branch and cornstalk, beneath the arms, stand for peace and prosperity. The state's motto: Virtue Liberty And Independence is written on a ribbon at the bottom of the flag.

There is a barrage of cheap and inferior Pennsylvania flags being imported and sold, that do not comply with the flag statute. This is bad for a number of reasons. Imported flags are cheaply made and more importantly, the designs, materials, colors, and methods of printing do not compare well with the better quality, longer-lasting, and correctly designed flags made by American manufacturers. The Flag Company Inc specialized in flag designs offered a special edition of decals and flags to memorize the history of Pennsylvania flag for the future.




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