History of the American Flag

When and where does the flag originate?
 I found on PBS that no one knows the true origin of the first American flag. Some people think that the first flag was designed by Francis Hopkinson, a Congressman in New Jersey, and sewn by Betsy Ross, a seamstress in Philadelphia.

When and why has it evolved? Note eras of significant and permeant change.
There haven't been very many substantial changes to the flag, most of them are the addition of stars and/or stripes because of new states being admitted into the country. There have been a lot of different flags and different changes to the flag which I found on a timeline of the flag's history. A majority of the changes are a star being added because of the addition of a new state. An interesting fact that I found on the timeline was that there was never a flag with 39 stars because it was thought that the two Dakotas would be added as one state instead of two.

Why does it use the shapes, colors, and arrangements of stars, stripes, red, white, and blue? Is there a history and purpose to these graphic choices?
I found on USFlag.org what each of the colors mean. The red stands for hardness and valor, the white stands for innocence and purity, and the blue stands for vigilance, perseverance and justice. I also know that the stripes stand for the thirteen colonies and the stars stand for the fifty states. For most of the flags history, the stars have represented the states and the stripes the colonies.

What does the flag seem to mean or say?
The flag represents the country as a whole and everything that it stands for. I think the flag is universally a symbol for all of the freedoms and rights that we have here.

What do the different names of the flag seem to suggest about it's meaning or purpose? Where do these nicknames originate from?
I found on PBS that the nickname Old Glory came from a sea captain who gave that name to his flag. His flag survived many attempts at being defaced and the name stuck around. This nickname suggests that the flag is old and brave. The nickname the Star Spangled Banner came from the song that is about it which is the countries national anthem.

Can you find any evidence that the flag itself is a controversial image? Or is it widely understood to be positive? What evidence suggests that it is widely understood as something worthy of respect that normally isn't given to a piece of fabric?
I couldn't find any evidence that suggests the flag is controversial. I think everyone pretty much agrees it is a good thing. I think that since we have so many rules surrounding it it shows how much we respect it. There are rules such as not to deface it in any way which I think goes to prove how much the flag is respected and loved.

What is culture? What is my culture?

cul·ture

ˈkəlCHər

noun

1. 1.

   the arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively.

Here is how I see American culture. Everyone in America loves their rights. People enroll in the military to fight for our freedom. When someone's rights are taken away, there are protests in the streets to have it restored. If people in the government or law enforcement are treating someone unfairly, people will fight to make sure that they are punished for their wrong doings. Lots of people are really patriotic and would do anything for the country that has given them the life that they live. Everyone is also unique. Everyone has their own style of doing things that is distinctly them. People are all different nationalities, have all different religions, have all kinds of different ancestry, talk differently, use different slang, have different friends, have different jobs, have different goals in life, and so much more. People are constantly expressing themselves through art and fashion. Art and fashion are also a way for people to rebel against the social norm and to stand out in a crowd or expose something to the public. People in America are also all about opportunities and most hate the idea of missing a once in a lifetime experience that could potentially change their life forever. Another one of the best things is the food. America has all kinds of absolutely amazing food. Not only is there the stereotypical american food like hamburgers, but there's food from all over the world and from all different cultures. Worked into the country are all kinds of other cultures besides it's own, like China Town and Little Italy in New York. Although American culture is very distinctly "American", it has all other kinds of culture woven through it to make it something even more unique.

The only experience I've ever had that could be considered a culture shock is when I went to Germanfest in Wisconsin this summer. I've always been told that I'm German on my mom's side of the family, my Grandmother escaped Germany through the Berlin Wall, but I'd never really done anything "German" with that part of my family. I really had no idea what to expect from a festival about German heritage except maybe a bunch of German people who had had a little too much to drink, which turned out to be very accurate. I spent the next 6-8 hours listening to German music and even learning some of the lyrics, learning the dances to the German songs, watching people walk past wearing traditional German outfits, dancing with random strangers who were just there to have fun, eating German food, and so much more. It was easily the biggest party I've ever been to and potentially the most fun I've ever had. I didn't end up getting back home until two in the morning but I wasn't tired at all, I'd spent the entire night in what seemed like a constant adrenaline rush and the next morning I couldn't walk because of all the dancing I did. It was all definitely worth it though. Going was an amazing experience and I would love to go again next year. I had never really witnessed anything German before despite the fact that my family is German and it was so much fun that I can't wait to do it again.