Could Betsy Ross Have Made the First Stars and Stripes?
Betsy Ross did make flags for the Patriots during the American Revolution. However, she was far from the only one. For example, the Grand Union Flag, which featured the British Union Jack where the stars are today and served as the national flag from 1775 to 1776, was sewn by Rebecca Young. It is conceivable that Betsy Ross’s relative, Colonel George Ross, might have recommended her to sew the Stars and Stripes. And it is possible that she was acquainted with George Washington and Robert Morris, both of whom attended her church. However, there is simply no proof – other than her grandson’s assertion a century later – that she made the original Stars and Stripes. Furthermore, William Canby’s account that his grandmother sewed the original Stars and Stripes has some serious holes.
He claimed that a Continental Congress committee had commissioned a new flag in 1776, but no records of such a committee exist. He claimed that said committee was headed by George Washington, but Washington had left Congress to head the Continental Army in 1775, so he could not have served on a congressional committee in 1776. The first documented congressional discussion about a national flag did not take place until 1777. The only flag payments made to Betsy Ross in 1777 were from Pennsylvania’s State Naval Board for Pennsylvania naval flags, not for the Stars and Stripes. Put all that together, and it is highly likely that the tale of Betsy Ross and the first Stars and Stripes is just a myth.
