Question 1

True or false: There has never been an official U.S. flag with more than 50 stars.

Accepted Answer

False. There have been official flags with 49 stars (after Alaska joined in 1959) and 48 stars (after New Mexico and Arizona). The 50-star version came after Hawaii in 1960.

Question 2

True or false: If you fly the U.S. flag upside down, it's universally recognized as a sign of distress, not disrespect.

Accepted Answer

True. According to the U.S. Flag Code, flying the flag upside down is a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property. It is not inherently a protest symbol.

Question 3

True or false: Flag Day became a federal holiday in 1937 when Congress made it official.

Accepted Answer

False. Flag Day is not a federal holiday. It was proclaimed by President Wilson in 1916 and made permanent by Congress in 1949, but it's never been a paid day off for federal workers.

Question 4

True or false: Betsy Ross is the only verified designer of the first American flag.

Accepted Answer

False. The Betsy Ross story is a popular legend with little historical evidence. No contemporary records confirm she sewed the first flag, and other designers like Francis Hopkinson have stronger claims.

Question 5

True or false: June 14 was chosen as Flag Day because it's the anniversary of the Battle of Fort McHenry.

Accepted Answer

False. June 14 marks the adoption of the Stars and Stripes by the Continental Congress in 1777. The Battle of Fort McHenry (which inspired the national anthem) happened in 1814.

Question 6

True or false: The U.S. Flag Code says an American flag should never touch the ground, but it's not illegal if it does.

Accepted Answer

True. The Flag Code is advisory, not law. While it recommends the flag not touch the ground, there are no penalties for violations, and it's not a criminal offense.

Question 7

True or false: The current U.S. flag was designed by a high school student for a class project.

Accepted Answer

True. In 1958, 17-year-old Robert Heft designed the 50-star flag for a school project. He got a B-, but after his design was chosen, his grade was changed to an A.

Question 8

True or false: The first official Flag Day celebration was held in 1777 in Philadelphia.

Accepted Answer

False. The first official Flag Day celebration was in 1885, when a Wisconsin teacher, B.J. Cigrand, organized it. The Continental Congress adopted the flag in 1777, but no celebration happened then.

Flag Day Trivia Questions