January 1-2, 1776: Grand Union Flag (British Union and thirteen stripes) hoisted over Washington's headquarters at Cambridge, Massachusetts. This was the first real flag of the colonies.

January 13, 1794: American flag changed by act of Congress, owing to two new States (Kentucky and Vermont) being admitted to the Union. The flag now had two stars and two stripes added to it, making fifteen stripes and stars. This was the "Star-Spangled Banner," and under this flag our country fought and won three wars—the so-called naval war with France, in 1798-1800; that with the Barbary States in 1801-1805; and that with England in 1812-1815.

February 3, 1783: First appearance of the American flag in a British port by the ship Bedford, of Massachusetts, which arrived in the river Thames on this date.

February 8, 1776: Colonial Congressional Committee accepted a naval flag, consisting of thirteen stripes, alternate red and white, with a rattlesnake diagonally across it.

February 14, 1778: First foreign salute to the Stars and Stripes. John Paul Jones entered Quiberon Bay, near Brest, France, and received a salute of nine guns from the French fleet, under Admiral La Motte Piquet. Jones had previously saluted the French fleet with thirteen guns.

March 17, 1776: The first display of the Grand Union Flag in Boston was on the day that town was evacuated by the British.

April 4, 1818: Congress by act decreed a return to the original thirteen stripes and a star for every State in the Union, to be added to the flag on the July 4 following a State's admission to the Union. This is the present law in relation to the flag.

April 24, 1778: John Paul Jones achieved the honor of being the first officer of the American Navy to compel a regular British man-of-war to strike her colors to the new flag.

June 14, 1777: First strictly American flag decreed by Congress. This flag displaced the British Union by thirteen stars, and the making of the first flag of this design is accredited to Betsy Ross of Philadelphia. It contained thirteen stripes, alternate red and white, and thirteen white stars upon a blue field.

June 14, 1777: Captain John Paul Jones appointed to the command of the Ranger. It was Jones who first displayed the Stars and Stripes on a naval vessel. It was also he who had previously first hoisted "the flag of America" on board the naval vessel Alfred in 1775.

June 28, 1778: First appearance on a foreign strong-hold at Nassau, Bahama Islands. The Americans captured Fort Nassau from the British, and promptly raised the Stars and Stripes.

August 3, 1777: First display of the Stars and Stripes on land was over Fort Stanwix, New York.

August 10, 1831: The name "Old Glory" given to our national flag by Captain William Driver, of the brig Charles Doggert. The flag was presented to the captain and contained one hundred and ten yards of bunting. It is said to be now in the Essex Institute, at Salem, Massachusetts.

September 11, 1777: The American flag first carried in battle at the Brandywine. This was the first great battle fought after its adoption by the Continental Congress.

September 13, 1784: The Stars and Stripes first displayed in China by Captain John Green, of the ship Empress, in Canton River. The natives said it was as beautiful as a flower, and the Chinese continued to call it the "flower flag" for many years.

September 30, 1787–August 10, 1790: The American flag completed its first trip around the world, borne by the ship Columbia, sailing from Boston.

October 18, 1867: First official display of the American flag in Alaska. On this day, at Sitka, the capital, the Russian flag was hauled down and the American flag run up before the barracks and in the presence of both Russian and American troops.