3rd December 1775: Grand Union Flag flown for the first time in America on the ship 'Alfred'

The American Revolutionary War began in April 1775 and, while the separate colonies had fought the early months of the war under independent banners, by the start of winter the Second Continental Congress had become a de facto war government with its own Army, Navy and Marine Corps.
The creation of this united force necessitated the creation of a new flag. This was done by sewing six white stripes on to the British Red Ensign that was flown from civilian and merchant ships. This featured the British Union Jack in upper-left corner, with a red field making up the rest of the flag. The addition of the white strips created 13 stripes, representing the Thirteen Colonies.
Historians disagree over why the British Ensign was used as the base flag. Some argue that it showed how the colonists were still broadly loyal to Britain while desiring self-government. Meanwhile others point out that adapting an official military flag could have been a conscious act of defiance. Whatever the true story, the first Grand Union Flag was hoisted by Lieutenant John Paul Jones on the Continental Navy’s newly-fitted man-of-war Alfred on 3 December, 1775. Jones later stated, ‘I hoisted with my own hands the Flag of Freedom the first time it was displayed on board the Alfred in the Delaware.’
Also known as the Continental Colors, the Grand Union Flag remained in use until the Flag Resolution of 14 June 1777. The resolution kept the red and white stripes of the existing flag, but replaced the British Union Jack in the top left corner with ‘thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation’.

[@mike62401]

As a born and bred American New Englander, I travelled to Boston UK and visited the Pilgrim’s Fathers memorial and planted a Union Cross flag at its base.

[@Ayala-99]

My favorite American flag.

[@AngloSaxon-yx8tk]

Bless your loyal heart.

[@davidd4696]

Traitor

[@scawfan75]

Such an underrated flag. That's why I bought 1 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@DaveMiller741]

i mean its good but i dont want a british watermark on tthe flag

[@AngloSaxon-yx8tk]

scawfan75: Yes you're so right and I would like to get one..

[@JIFD]

@@DaveMiller741 LOL ;)

[@JIFD]

The ONLY US flag I'll fly

[@AngloSaxon-yx8tk]

@@JIFD: The only US flag you'll fly? Sounds like Dominion oriented loyalty.

[@bencourtois1184]

I actually got a grand union flag. Im proud to own a copy of the united states first flag.

[@lg_believe333]

Mother Britain is calling her cubs to come back home. With all the divisive politics we now see in our countries, plenty of folk are looking back to the past to mend the present time. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇬🇧🇺🇸🇨🇦🇦🇺🇳🇿

[@bencourtois1184]

I feel like if more people knew about the grand union flag the united states would be more united. After all the grand union flag was our country's first national flag.

[@themanftheworld8439]

Motherland Britain.🇬🇧🇺🇸

[@usa1949]

USA Forever no turning to the union jack

[@AiGeneratedWaluigi]

@@usa1949its still the motherland

[@usa1949]

It Will Never be Motherland Only United States of America 🇺🇲🇺🇲

[@lg_believe333]

Mother Britain is calling her cubs to come back home. With all the divisive politics we now see in our countries, plenty of folk are looking back to the past to mend the present time. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇬🇧🇺🇸🇨🇦🇦🇺🇳🇿

[@themanftheworld8439]

​@@usa1949US dna is British.UK is the motherland.Period.

[@anthonygonzales3523]

It’s a nice looking flag

[@usa1949]

USA

[@rocksandforestquiver959]

Too bad Canada ditched the red ensign, always looked good next to the US flag because the US flag was/ is also basically a red ensign

[@bradleyhoyt3188]

Love our version of the union jack. :) i have one as well. :)

[@johnrohlfs7078]

Thanks captain James of Cape Girardeau Missouri America 🇺🇸🪖 from John Robert Bruffett Junior !

[@johnrohlfs4972]

Thanks from John Robert Bruffett Junior 🇺🇸😎🪖 since 1772!

[@AnthonyTuminello]

I firmly believe that the reason why they used the British ensign as the base flag was because they wanted to honor their mother nation and heritage as Englishmen. The American War of Independence was not a true "revolution", as many of the colonists still desired to be under their country's government and common law (without the tyranny, of course) (which they still had much respect for), insomuch that they petitioned their government (British Parliament) for a redress of grievances on numerous occasions, the last of which was the Olive Branch Petition. If one were to read the Olive Branch Petition, one would easily observe how much respect and reverence they still had for their mother country, and their king. Even to this day many US states still use English common law as a basis or "standard" for various laws in their individual state constitutions.

[@pianoracoon908]

Nice video! I always wondered what that flag was all about because I've seen it serval times before nd wondered what it meant.

[@rufeilrahtieh7885]

This is a East India flag.

[@rufeilrahtieh7885]

@@hatable6234 Yes, Grand Union flag is a copy of East India flag.
East India company was an freemasonry company and George Washington was a Freemason.

[@robthorne6365]

I've been flying the "Great Union Flag" since January 2021 and it will keep flying until this country gets a real leader again that puts our country and it's citizens first! I folded up my American flag properly and stored it in a safe place! I also fly the "Easton Flag", because it was the flag that was raised in three different parts of the United States, when the "Declaration of Independence" was publicly read! I'm an American, and this is the "Home of the Free!" and if no one likes it! They can march their ass somewhere else!

[@scawfan75]

@@robthorne6365 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@CommonSenserules1981]

@@robthorne6365 Respect to you Sir, good to know you understand your roots and where you come from. As a Englishmen who shares the same freedom you do.

[@SICW1970]

its a better looking flag imo

[@stevenroberts970]

Its important they use this flag n not stars n stripes there isnt any reason not to n its important particular on the space shuttles and military equipment.
Donald trump you know maybe if he pushes this through hel get our support no i dnt fink he was a bumbling idiot as much as they say maybe he did thieve out the treasury so but if he does an appropriate time for it n dsnt do it again i don't see why he wouldn't deserve out support

[@johnrohlfs9423]

Buffett Junior

[@bencourtois1184]

#unitedstatesgrandunion

[@johnrohlfs7254]

Awesome State of Missouri and American flag from American tax payer John Robert Bruffett Junior of North America flag

[@usa1949]

I Love my American flag star spangled banner it the best flag ever the flag of freedom and love ❤

[@JIFD]

LOL!

[@JohnRohlfs]

John Robert Bruffett Junior 8th Cherokee American Indian@¡!@usa