Isabella P.

BETSY ROSS

 

                                     TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction	Chapter 1: Betsy’s life
Chapter 2: Her marriage	Chapter 3: The American Flag
Conclusion

            

                                           Introduction:

“Our hearts aching, our prayers praying, our flags waving, never forget.” -Betsy Ross. This famous quote has a very important meaning. It means that  you should never forget about the flag because it is a very important part of our life.  This is also an important quote because this is telling you to respect our country. She is saying that our hearts are aching and we are praying. We are waving our flags is what you should never forget. She is a amazing person because she had made the first official flag.

                                           Chapter 1: Betsy’s life.

Betsy Ross was born on January 1, 1752. Her parents Samuel and Rebecca Griscom named her Elizabeth. Her parents called her Betsy.  She lived in Pennsylvania, which was one of the 13 colonies. It was ruled by Britain at that time. She loved to sew, and she was very good at it. She went to the Society of Friends school. There she learned to read, write, add, and subtract. At home, she helped her family with cooking, cleaning, washing, mending, and sewing. For fun, Betsy and her family went on picnics.  Her dad was a carpenter. He helped build the bell tower at Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence was signed and adopted. She worked at her sewing shop until she was 75 years old. She died in 1836 at the age of 84. She worked in a sewing school. She continued working in her shop and helped the Pennsylvania Navy by sewing flags for their ships. After Betsy’s death all of her family members said how Betsy often told them her story of how she sewed the first american flag. Betsy’s parents were both Quakers. Quakers were people who believed in God and went to church. She went to a school where she learned how to sew mattresses, chair covers, and window blinds.  Historians wonder why Betsy Ross got married so many times.  She was born in Pennsylvania and lived there her whole life.

                                  

                             

                                       Chapter 2: Her Marriage

She worked in a sewing school were she met John Ross. In 1773, at 21 years old, Betsy Ross crossed the river to New Jersey to elope (run away ) with John Ross. They secretly got married without their parents or any family members knowing. They did this because John Ross wasn’t a Quaker and Betsy’s parents wanted her to marry a Quaker. They started their own shop and John Ross joined the Militia. He died after barely two years of marriage. John Ross was hurt in a explosion and died from his wounds. In 1777, Betsy married Joseph Ashburn. They had two children. Joseph was a captain in the Continental Army. His boat was captured by the British during a trip to get supplies. He was put in prison, and died. Betsy married for a third and final time in 1783.  She and her husband John Claypoole had five daughters. John died in 1817. It must have been sad for Betsy that she got married three times because all of her husbands died.

	Chapter 3:  The American Flag.

          Many people believe that Betsy sewed the first Stars and Stripes flag. Stars and Stripes is another name for the American flag.  The first flag had 16 stars on it. The stars were in a circle.  The American flag has 13 red stripes to represent the 13 original colonies.  George Washington visited Betsy’s sewing shop. He showed her a sketch of the flag that he wanted.  He wanted 13 stars  arranged in a circle to represent the original 13 colonies. He wanted the stars to have 6 points ,but Betsy suggested the flag to  have a five pointed star instead. They decided to make the flag with a five pointed star. Within a few days she had the flag done. It was the first official American Flag. The colors of the flag that she sewed were old glory blue, old glory red, and white. Ever since then the flag has been the same colors. It has changed over the years ,but the colors have stayed the same. January 1, 1776 the Grand Union Flag got raised for the first time. It must have been a very exciting moment for Betsy Ross. Just imagine if you had a very big accomplishment that you had achieved, and the whole world saw it. The flag had 13 red and white stripes alternating with the British flag in the upper left corner. It represented the Continental Army’s fight for freedom.

                                     Conclusion:

Clearly, Betsy Ross was a very important person in Colonial Times. Betsy Ross had a life that most people nowadays wouldn’t. Betsy Ross must have been devastated that all three of her husbands died in the war. She must have been so surprised that George Washington asked her to sew them a flag. Betsy Ross must have been a very famous person in the Colonial Times. What would America be like today if Betsy Ross didn’t make the flag?