Stars and stripes

After the American colonies had declared their freedom in 1776, the time came for this new nation to have a flag of its own. The flag was designed in June, 1777, by General George Washington and a modest young Quakeress, Betsy Ross. This story has become an American legend. Betsy Ross lived in Philadelphia. She owned a little brick house at 239 Arch Street. Her house was an old one, and it was said that the bricks for building it had been brought from England in one of William Penn's ships.

Betsy was known as a tidy young housekeeper. She was also said to be the finest needlewoman in the city. So George Washington asked her to help in making a new flag.

The timid young woman grew very shy when Washington, the commander-in-chief of the army, and Robert Morris, the famous banker, entered her little parlour. Washington took from his pocket a sketch of the flag and showed it to Betsy. The flag had thirteen stripes, seven red and six white, with a circle of thirteen white stars in a blue field. The flag was very beautiful, and Betsy liked it. She promised to do her best to make it. Washington asked her to pay special attention to the stars and make them just as they had been drawn.

The stars drawn by Washington had six points. Betsy thought they did not look like the stars in the sky. She said the real stars had five points. She took a sheet of paper and with a single clip of her scissors cut out a beautiful five-pointed star.

Washington and Morris were pleased with her suggestion. They liked a five-pointed star more than a six-pointed one. Washington asked Betsy to make a sample American flag as he had directed, but decorate it with five-pointed stars, one for each state.

Betsy Ross's fine needlework was highly appreciated by her compatriots, and her flag was accepted for the nation.

When Vermont and Kentucky came into the Union and became the states of the USA the flag was changed. The stars and the stripes on it were increased to fifteen. When other new states were admitted, new stars and stripes were to be added to the flag. But the people did not want to have so many changes in the flag. They thought too many stripes and stars would mar it.

In 1818 it was decided that the flag should have only thirteen stripes symbolizing the thirteen original states. Each of the states admitted into the Union was to be represented by a white five-pointed star in a blue square field in the upper left corner of the flag.

Notes:

Stars and stripes — Звезды и полосы

a modest young Quakeress — скромная молодая квакерша

She was also said to be the finest needlework — Про нее также говорили, что она — лучшая швея

parlour — маленькая гостиная

a sketch — эскиз

just as they had been drawn — точно так, как они были нарисованы

had six points — были шестиконечными

with a single clip of her scissors — одним движением ножниц

one for each state — по одной на каждый штат

was highly appreciated by her compatriots — была высоко оценена ее соотечественниками

nation — государство

to mar — портить

EXERCISES

1. Переведите на русский язык:

After the American colonies, an American legend, from England in one of William Penn's ships, as a tidy young housekeeper, the finest needlewoman to have a flag of its own.

2. Выпишите из текста предложения, содержащие следующие словосочетания и переведите их на русский язык:

The timid young woman, Washington took from his pocket, to pay special attention to the stars, a sheet of paper, Washington and Morris, Betsy Ross's fine needlework.

3. Составьте предложения со следующими словами и словосочетаниями:

The stars and the stripes, the states of the USA, other new states, new stars and stripes, so many changes in the flag, a white five-pointed star, in a blue square field in the upper left corner of the flag.

4. Ответьте на следующие вопросы:

1. When was the national flag of the USA designed?

2. Who drew the sketch of the flag?

3. Who made the first flag of the USA?

4. How did it look?

5. Was it different from the present-day American flag?