A portrait of a young Betsy Ross
A portrait of a young Betsy Ross
Betsy Ross, flag maker
Betsy Ross, flag maker
Ross showing how to make stars
Ross showing how to make stars
Ross sewing the flag
Ross sewing the flag
Ross giving the flag to George Washington
Ross giving the flag to George Washington
Ross, Betsy<br>U.S. Revolutionary War
Topic(s):   Famous People (U.S.), Revolutionary War (U.S.), Women (U.S.)
Quick Facts
Full name
Elizabeth Griscom Ross
Born
January 1, 1752 (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Died
January 30, 1836 (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
nationality
American
Occupation(s)
seamstress, upholsterer
Major Achievement(s)
flag maker, patriot

Betsy Ross was a devoted patriot. She ran an upholstery shop with her husband in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Legend says that in 1776, George Washington and two officers asked Ross to make the first flag for the United States. They showed her a design with red and white stripes. It had a blue field in one corner. A circle of 13 stars was on the blue field. Each star had six points. Ross suggested five-pointed stars. She showed them how easily she could make them. They agreed to five-pointed stars.

The U.S. flag story was first told by Ross's grandson nearly 100 years later. He wrote it for a popular magazine. We have no records to prove that the story is true.

Facts tell us that Betsy Ross made flags for some ships. She aided the country with her talent and needle.

Betsy Ross' house still stands in Philadelphia. Many tourists visit it.

Resource information

Redmond, S. -R. (2004). Patriots in petticoats: Heroines of the American Revolution. New York: Random House.

Roberts, C. (2004). Founding mothers: The women who raised our nation. New York: William Morrow.

Zeinert, K. (1996). Those remarkable women of the American revolution. Brookfield, Conn: Millbrook Press.

Kornhaber, A. (n.d.). Betsy Ross. Retrieved from http://pabook.libraries.psu.edu/palitmap/bios/Ross__Betsy.html

Leaving Their Stamp on History. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.nwhm.org/online-exhibits/stamps/ross.html

Citation information

APA Style: Betsy Ross. (2014, August). Retrieved from Facts4Me at https://www.facts4me.com

MLA Style: "Betsy Ross." Facts4Me.com. Aug. 2014. https://www.facts4me.com

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