There are few overt symbols in 1776. One exception, however, is the flag of the Continental Army, which George Washington unfurls toward the end of 1775 while his troops are camped outside of Boston. The flag, which features thirteen red and white stripes symbolizing the thirteen American colonies, is very similar to the flag of the United States of America (which won’t appear until 1777). In this sense, the Continental Army flag symbolizes the growing cultural unity of the American army and American society in general. In late 1775, the American army is still a disorganized and untrained group of soldiers from different colonies, but it’s gradually becoming a singular, unified force, bound together by a common ideology of freedom, self-sufficiency, and meritocracy.
The Continental Flag Symbol Timeline in 1776
