According to legend, Betsy Ross created the first American flag after a visit from General George Washington, commander-in-chief of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. However, Ross’s involvement in the design and creation of the first flag seems largely fictitious. It is likely that her grandson, William J. Canby, developed the story in the 1870s and that her only connection to the American flag was as a Philadelphia flag maker who sewed flags and banners for the United States military.
This is a copy of a 1954 painting attributed to Frank McKernan.
