"I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

Francis Bellamy, the author of these words, was an ordained minister, magazine writer, and Freemason who stated that his aim was to say "what our republic meant and what was the underlying spirit of its life." Bellamy wrote the Pledge of Allegiance in 1892 as part of the 400th anniversary of the discovery of America by Columbus. It was embraced by the nation and almost immediately became a part of the school-day ritual. Bellamy's original text has been altered twice. In 1923, the words "the flag of the United States of America" were substituted for the words "my flag". Congress officially recognized the Pledge in 1942 and added the words "under God" in 1954.

History of Flag Day	Flagday2000 Homepage
Flags at Fort McHenry	The Smithsonian: Star Spangled Banner
Flag of the United States	Fort McHenry - National Anthem
Evolution of the United States Flag	"Old Glory"
Veterans of Foreign Wars	Flags of Freedom Foundation
The American Legion	An American Flag Site
U.S. Air Force	U.S. Army
U.S. Navy	U.S. Marine Corps
Hello Remember Me	History of the American Flag
Dave's American Flag Page	The Betsy Ross Homepage