Betsy Ross' House
Quaker Meeting House
Betsy Ross Workroom
Betsy Ross' Chruch
Secret Meeting Between George Washington and Betsy Ross
Betsy Ross - Designer of the Flag
by Charleen Dodd - Foothill Elementary - Alvord Unified
Betsy Ross is considered by many to have made the original stars and stripes flag. Even though there is no official documentation to prove that Betsy Ross made the first flag, the story has been told for over 100 years.
Betsy was born in Philadelphia in 1752 to Quaker parents. She probably attended a Friends school. When Betsy married John Ross, who was an Anglican, she was expelled from the Quaker society.
Betsy was a expert seamstress and was able to help John in his upholstery shop. When John was killed in a munitions explosion in 1776, Betsy continued to run the upholstery shop by herself.
Betsy attended Christ Church in Philadelphia. Her family pew was next to George and Martha Washington's pew. As a result, Betsy was a good friend of the Washington. She often did sewing jobs for General and Mrs.Washington.
It is quite possible that Washington would choose to go to Betsy when he felt that there was a need for a new flag for the colonies.
The legend states that a secret committee visited Betsy's shop with the intention of having a new flag made. George Washington, George Ross, Betsy's husband's uncle, and Robert Morris met in Betsy's parlor to discuss the new flag. General Washington had brought a sketch of a stars and stripes flag with 6 point stars. Betsy showed the committee that it would be much easier to make a 5 point star. The committee decided to change the design to a 5 point star instead.
This story of Betsy Ross did not become widely known until 1870 when Betsy's grandson, William Canby, retold what his grandmother had told him.