
                   A Quiz on the American Flag 

                   Dr. Roger M. Firestone, 32    
                      10159 Turnberry Place, 
                   Oakton, Virginia 22124-2847 


   We salute it at the beginning of our Masonic meetings, and we 
honor it in our ceremonies.  But how well do we really know this 
symbol of our country?  Here, in the spirit of the Fourth of 
July, is a quiz about Old Glory.  No peeking at an actual flag 
for the answers! 

   1.  The United States flag has thirteen stripes of alternating 
       colors.  But are there six white and seven red stripes or 
       six red and seven white? 

   2.  To the upper left of the flag, there is a blue area with 
       stars.  What is this area called? 

   3.  Some of the stripes are shorter than the others because of 
       the presence of the blue area.  How many are shorter? 

   4.  The fifty stars form a roughly rectangular pattern.  
       Exactly how are they arranged? 

   5.  Originally, the plan for the design of the flag called for 
       adding both a stripe and a star when a state joined the 
       Union.  How many stripes did the flag have when this was 
       realized to be impractical and the number returned to the 
       original thirteen? 

   6.  How many stars spangled the banner that Francis Scott Key 
       saw through the dawn's early light over Fort McHenry? 

   7.  The stars on the flag have five points.  How many points 
       did Betsy Ross plan for the stars originally? 

   8.  When should the flag on a public building be flown at 
       half-mast? 

   9.  What other country's flag design reflects the addition of 
       territory? 

  10.  What two other countries have flags with stars on them? 

                                                                    
                     Answers to the Flag Quiz      

   1.  There are seven red stripes and six white stripes; the 
       stripes at the top and the bottom are both red. 

   2.  The blue area is called the field, union, or canton. 

   3.  There are seven short stripes and six long ones. 

   4.  The fifty stars are arranged in five rows of six stars 
       alternated with four rows of five stars. 

   5.  The addition of stripes and stars was abandoned when there 
       were fifteen stripes on the flag. See the next answer. 

   6.  Fifteen stars (and fifteen stripes) adorned the flag that 
       inspired our national anthem. There were more than fifteen 
       states at the time, but it was not until 1818 that 
       Congress enacted a return to thirteen stripes and the 
       addition of stars for new states. 

   7.  Six points. According to the legend, Betsy Ross only knew 
       how to sew a pattern for making six-pointed stars, but 
       George Washington showed her a way to construct one for 
       five-pointed stars instead, which he felt were more 
       aesthetically pleasing. An example of a Mason familiar 
       with geometry! 

   8.  Never! On certain holidays and during official periods of 
       mourning, the flag is flown at half-staff, not half-mast, 
       unless the public building happens to be a ship. (This is 
       what is known as a trick question.) 

   9.  The Union Jack, flag of Great Britain. The St. Andrew's 
       Cross on the British flag reflects the addition of 
       Scotland to England to form the United Kingdom. 

  10.  Australia and New Zealand use Southern constellations on 
       their flags. The flag of Liberia, a country founded by 
       freed American slaves, has a single star and is patterned 
       after the American flag. The flag of Brazil also has stars 
       on it. There are others as well. 

   Don't feel badly if you scored low; this test measures your 
powers of observation and knowledge of trivia, not your 
patriotism! 

Reference: Bennett, M. R. "... So Gallantly Streaming." New 
York: Drake Pub., 1974.   

-----

Roger M. Firestone is a member of the Scottish Rite Valleys in 
Alexandria, Virginia, and Minneapolis, Minnesota; Ancient 
Landmark Lodge No. 5 in St. Paul, Minnesota; and three York Rite 
Bodies. He is an officer in the Alexandria Council of Kadosh and 
is currently Ill Master of Adoniram-Zabud Council No. 2, Cryptic 
Masons of DC. He also serves Henry Lodge No. 57 in Fairfax, VA, 
as Musician. 

