Flag of Fifteen Stripes
Bicentennial Flag Memorial
Like the new nation, the first Stars and Stripes would see fuller development with the passage of time. Under the much-debated Articles of Confederation of 1781, it was agreed that America would create self-governing States in the western domain rather than extending the original colonial land charters from sea to sea. This action would soon render obsolete the Flag Resolution of June 14, 1777, which assumed the performance of a thirteen-state union.
By 1795, the Flag had fifteen stars and fifteen stripes as Vermont and Kentucky become states. For almost a quarter of a century the fifteen-star and fifteen-stripe flag was the national flag. It was the subject flag of Francis Scott Key's song "The Star-Spangled Banner" during the War of 1812 and the banner carried by the Lewis and Clark and the Zebulon Pike expeditions into Kansas in 1804 and 1806 respectively.
It was Pike who raised the first American Flag over Kansas. Pike's mission was to determine the western boundary of the Louisiana Purchase and to put an end to Spanish claims east of the Rockies. At the northern Kansas Indian settlement of the Pawnee Republic he came upon a Spanish Flag waving in front of the Chief's lodge. After some discussion with the Chief, Pike convinced him to lower the Spanish Flag and hoist the American Flag. Once done, Pike diplomatically returned the Spanish Colors to the Chief asking him not to raise them as long as he was in the village.
Courtesy hmdb.org
