The American Flag The American Flag has remained a foundational representation of freedom and independence throughout its 239 years in office. During this time, the American flag has taken on a total of 27 different forms since its official birth date of June 14, 1777. For many people, the flag represents a personal sense of pride, accomplishment, or dignity. A nation's flag is something to be honored and revered – something that citizens can look to during times of uncertainty. The US flag is no exception. Our flag provides us with an innate appreciation for self-confidence and the ability to defend all truths we claim to be self-evident. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay I believe the American flag is a direct representation of the self-evident truths of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This belief is rooted in my desire to serve my country in the future, as well as my four-year involvement in the NJROTC program. This program showed me what it means to be a citizen of this nation and how I can better understand and respect the flag, highlighting everything it represents. However, the flag is simply a tangible symbol. The intangible is what distinguishes its meaning from its appearance. Countless individuals have paid the ultimate price by serving under the direction of our nation's colors. Since the very embodiment of the flag is all about sacrifice, we can easily see that many other factors play into this, such as; courage, pride, valor, distinction and honor. Without these, individual sacrifice would not exist. The emotional connection and possible physical repercussions of serving under the American flag are irreplaceable and unforgettable. They serve as a constant reminder of why we choose to defend our freedoms as a nation, why we defend those who are unable to do so for themselves, and why we choose to stand firm in our beliefs as a country. While the emotional appeal of our nation's flag is pertinent to how we perceive it as a people, the history of our flag has a deeper and more relevant meaning to our way of life. Originally, the American flag looked nothing like the flag we love so much today. Instead of red, white and blue, the first "American" flag bore the bright colors of green, white and black. The Pine Flag, as it was called, was our nation's first flag (unofficially). However, not to say it didn't serve an official purpose! This flag was displayed during the Battle of Bunker Hill, bearing the phrase "An Appeal to Heaven", which was obviously aimed at granting holy favor to the colonists and their efforts to proclaim freedom from Great Britain. This symbolic message of freedom still reigns today. It may not be about proclaiming freedom from another country, however, it conveys the need to maintain the everyday freedoms we enjoy as Americans. The freedom to say what we think, the freedom to publish our thoughts and experiences in the press, the freedom to practice any religion of our choosing, if any, and the freedom to live an unrestricted human life based on our potential. Whether it was the first Pine Tree Flag or the current American flag, all of these freedoms required individual sacrifices. This is something we cannot take for granted.