Betsy ross timeline biography of william

They presented her with a design for a new American flag, which would represent the thirteen American colonies in their fight for independence. The design featured thirteen stars in a circle and betsy ross timeline biography of william stripes. Betsy Ross, with her background in upholstery and sewing, was asked to assist in making the flag.

She is said to have suggested a change to the design, proposing that the stars should have five points instead of six. Also Read: Betsy Ross Facts. The treaty officially recognized the United States as an independent nation, free from British rule. At that time, the committee ordered the construction of gunboats that would eventually need flags as part of their equipment.

As late as OctoberCaptain William Richards was still writing to the Committee of Safety to request the design that he could use to order flags for the fleet. Ross was one of those hired to make flags for the Pennsylvanian fleet. An entry dated May 29,in the records of the Pennsylvania Navy Board, includes an order to pay her for her work.

The Pennsylvania navy's ship color included 1 an ensign; 2 a long, narrow pennant; and 3 a short, narrow pennant. The ensign was a blue flag with 13 stripes—seven red stripes and six white stripes in the flag's canton upper-left-hand corner. It was flown from a pole at the rear of the ship. The long pennant had 13 vertical, red-and-white stripes near the mast; the rest was solid red.

It flew from the top of the ship's mainmast, the center pole holding the sails. The short pennant was solid red, and flew from the top of the ship's mizzenmast—the pole holding the ship's sails nearest the stern rear of the ship. A sister, Sarah —and brother, William —died before Elizabeth "Betsy" was born another sister, Sarah Griscom Donaldson —was named after the earlier deceased Sarah.

Ross was just five years old when her sister Martha — died, and another sister, Ann —only lived to the age of two. Two others, twins, brother Joseph — and sister Abigail —died in one of the frequent smallpox epidemics in the autumn of After her schooling at a Quaker-run state schoolRoss's father apprenticed her to an upholsterer named William Webster.

Canby, presented a research paper to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania in which he claimed that his grandmother had "made with her hands the first flag" of the United States. Canby dates the historic episode based on Washington's journey to Philadelphia, in the late spring ofa year before the Second Continental Congress passed the first Flag Act of June 14, In the book The Star-Spangled Banner: the Making of an American IconSmithsonian Institution experts point out that Canby's recounting of the event appealed to patriotic Americans then eager for stories about the Revolution and its heroes and heroines.

Betsy Ross was promoted as a patriotic role model for young girls and a symbol of women's contributions to American history. Ross was merely one of several flag makers in Philadelphia such as Rebecca Youngwho is historically documented to have made the earlier Grand Union Flag of —76, with the British Union Jack of the crosses of St.

George and St. Andrewin the upper corner canton and 13 alternating red and white stripes for the "United Colonies" for the Continental Armyalong with many other ships' colors, banners, and flags which were advertised in local newspapers. Rebecca Young's daughter Mary Young Pickersgill — made the flag of 15 stars and stripes inbegun at her house and finished on the floor of a nearby brewery, delivered to the commander of the fort the year before the British attack of September 12—14,on Fort McHenry in Baltimoreduring the War ofreceiving a government-issued receipt for the work of two flags, a large 30 by 42 foot 9.

Occasionally over the decades, there has been some controversy and disagreement between the relative merits and historical accuracies of the two flag-making traditions and historical sites in Philadelphia and Baltimore. It is thought that Ross's only contribution to the flag design was to change the 6-pointed stars to the easier 5-pointed stars.

Hopkinson was the only person to make such a claim in the Revolutionary War era. John's parents were Sarah Leach and the Rev. Aeneas Ross, a Church of England later Episcopal priest and assistant rector at the historic city parish of Christ Church. The marriage caused a split from her Griscom family and meant her expulsion from the Quaker congregation.

Betsy ross timeline biography of william

The American Revolutionary War broke out when the Rosses had been married for two years. As a member of the local Pennsylvania Provincial Militia and its units from the city of PhiladelphiaJohn Ross was assigned to guard munitions. He died in According to one legend, he was killed by a gunpowder explosion, but family sources provide doubts about this claim.

There is speculation that Ross was the "beautiful young widow" who distracted Carl von Donop in Mount Holly, New Jerseyafter the Battle of Iron Works Hillthus keeping his forces out of the crucial "turning-of-the-tide" Battle of Trenton on the morning of December 26,in which Hessian soldiers were defeated after the crossing of the Delaware River.

On June 15,she married her second husband, mariner Joseph Ashburn. InAshburn's ship was captured by a Royal Navy frigate and he was charged with treason for being of British ancestry— naturalization to American colonial citizenship was not recognized and imprisoned at Old Mill Prison in PlymouthEngland. During this time, their first daughter, Zilla, died at the age of nine months and their second daughter, Eliza, was born.

Three years later, in Mayshe married John Claypoole, who had earlier met Joseph Ashburn in the English Old Mill Prison and had informed Ross of her husband's circumstances and death. John Claypoole's diary and family Bible was rediscovered years later in June With the birth of their second daughter Susanna inthey moved to a larger house on Philadelphia's Second Street, settling down to a peaceful post-war existence, as Philadelphia prospered as the temporary national capital — of the newly independent United States of America, with the first president, George Washingtonhis vice president, John Adamsand the convening members of the new federal government and the U.

Ross had married outside of her Quaker religion and as a result, she was disowned by the Society of Friends the Quaker Church. Jan 15, John Ross dies in a munitions explosion serving in the militia. Betsy Ross becomes a widow. She has acquired property in both Philadelphia and Cumberland counties. Jun 3, Ross recommended some changes to George Washington's original design.

Jun 14, The flags design still holds as the symbol of America. Betsy began attending school Betsy came from a family of Quakers. She learned to sew when she was apprenticed to an upholsterer. Betsy gets married Betsy ran away from home to marry her sweetheart, John Ross. They opened an upholstery shop where Betsy sewed. He wanted her to design and sew a flag for the new nation.