Grand Union Flag Origin
The Grand Union Flag is considered the first national flag of the United States, although the country had not yet declared independence when it was introduced.
The flag appeared during the American Revolution in late 1775. It combined 13 alternating red and white stripes, representing the thirteen American colonies, with the British Union flag in the canton.
Connection to George Washington
The Grand Union Flag is strongly associated with George Washington and the Continental Army. On January 1, 1776, Washington's forces raised it over their camp at Prospect Hill near Boston. This was one of the earliest major displays of a flag representing the united American colonies.
At the time, the colonies were still fighting under the authority of the British Crown. The flag's combination of the colonial stripes and British Union reflected this complicated political situation.
From Grand Union to Stars and Stripes
After the Declaration of Independence in 1776, the United States needed a distinctly American national flag. The British Union in the canton of the Grand Union Flag was eventually replaced with a field of stars.
The Flag Resolution of June 14, 1777 established a new design:
13 stripes, alternating red and white, with 13 white stars on a blue field.
This became the foundation of today's Stars and Stripes.
Why the Grand Union Flag Matters
The Grand Union Flag represents an important transition in American history—from thirteen British colonies acting together to an independent United States. Today, it is popular with Revolutionary War historians, reenactors, museums, collectors, and people interested in early American flags.