Blog Post 3 - Motives for immigration

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Questions to Consider:

1. ORIGIN:  When and where does the US flag originate?
   
   I found that on June 14, 1777 the continental congress passed an act that established the new American flag. The true origin of the flag is unknown but most people believe that the congressman Francis Hopkinson designed the flag, and Betsy Ross sewed the flag.

2. EVOLUTION: When and why has it evolved?  Note eras of significant and permanent change.  Note the lack of any big change, if you find that’s the case.
   

I found that the flag has evolved multiple times over the history of America. The original flag had 13 stars and 13 stripes to represent the original 13 colonies. The flag has had many design changes and stars added to the flag to accommodate the addition of states.

3. DESIGN ELEMENTS / CHOICES: What factors have shaped the look of the flag, including the shapes, colors, and arrangements of stars, stripes, red, white blue, etc.?  Is there a history and purpose to these graphic design choices?
   

The 13 stripes on the flag represent the original 13 colonies. The amount of stars on the flag represent the amount of stars

4. MEANING
1. For what is the flag a symbol?  Does consensus about the meaning of the flag appear to be fairly widespread?  How can you tell? Does it seem to be widely understood as a positive symbol of national unity?  

The flag is a symbol of unity and freedom. I do not think the meaning of the flag is very widespread because people interpret the flag in many different ways. I think that the flag is understood as a positive symbol of national unity for most in the country.

2. What are the flag’s nicknames?  What can you learn about where those nicknames originate in our culture?

I found that some of the nicknames include: The red, white, and blue and the star spangled banner. The nickname The red, white, and blue originates from the colors of our flag and nation.

3. What can you learn about the flag in popular music?  Consider songs, genres, album covers, and lyrics.

I feel that there is a lot of discrepancy about what the flag means in popular music. In some genres of music they are very proud of the flag and what the flag means, while in other genres they are not proud of the flag and don’t believe it is a sign of unity and freedom.  

5. HABITS/USE:  What evidence suggests that the flag is generally understood, within our culture, as something that is worthy of respect and more careful treatment than you might otherwise provide to a piece of fabric?

There is evidence that the flag is treated much more carefully and with much more respect than a piece of fabric, this being the way the flag is taken down from a flag post, or the way that the flag is carried.

6. CONTROVERSY:  Can you find any evidence to suggest that the flag itself is controversial?  Or do there just seem to be ways of using it that are controversial? (Your answer to this question may overlap with your answer to number 5.)

I believe that that actual flag is not controversial but the way that people interpret and use the flag is controversial. An example of this would be NFL players not standing for the flag and the national anthem because they believe that the flag stands for police brutality.