The Voice of Vexillology, Flags & Heraldry

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Continental Congress Flag for the Fourth Capital of the United States - York, Pennsylvania

On September 30, 1777 unto June 27, 1778 York, Pennsylvania served as the fourth capital of the United States of America. It was in York, PA where the first program of American Gov 1.0 was written under the Articles of Confederation. This grand document ran the country for about decade until 1788, when a reboot was in order.

The heritage flag of York's cameo as America's Capital City takes its design from the official flag of Washington DC. However the colours stem from the original White Rose of the House of York in England with its blue background. Coincidentally George Washington's ancestors originally came from "Old York, England." As fate would have it George Washington was "crowned" as the first president in"New York, America."

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Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=york%20pennsylvania%20skyline
LEARN MORE ABOUT YORK CITY, PENNSYLVANIA'S ROLE in America's Infancy here:
http://www.yorkheritage.org/page.asp?id=63

FLICKER USER OPACITY

Continental Congress Flag for the Third Capital City of the United States - Lancaster, PA

Most people know that Philadelphia was the original capital of the fledgeling United States of America, but did you know that three other cities in Pennsylvania were also host to the Revolutionary Continental Congress?

You may have also heard of president for a day, but did you ever hear of capital for a day?

For one day Lancaster, Pennsylvania became the Capital of the United States of America on September 27, 1777. Thus Lancaster deserves a 'Capital City Heritage Flag' since it was the third city be the US Capital. The flag is based upon the design of the now legal capital city flag of Washington DC, but the colours are reversed. The colour red conserves the red colour for the House of Lancaster in England, whose great rival was the House of York during the War of the Roses. Coincidentally the fourth capital of the United States of America was in fact York, Pennsylvania.

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photo credit:Randolph Carney, 15 August 2009
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lancaster_Pennsylvania_downtown.jpg

Continental Cogress Flag for Baltimore the Second Capital of the United States

Did you know just after the Declaration of Independence was issued, the 'Capital' moved from Philadelphia to Baltimore on December 12, 1776? Just in time for the first American Christmas of 1776! Congress was under war pressure from the UK, so it was decided to head south for safety - Baltimore, Maryland that is.

The colours of Baltimore's Congressional Capital Heritage Flag are taken from the flag of Maryland and mixed with the modern design of the District of Columbia, which was a part of Maryland during the American Revolution.

The newly independent nation of America opened for business in Baltimore Maryland on December 20, 1776 at the Henry Fite House. Thus the first Christmas, New Years, and Ground Hog Day for the capital city of USA B.C. - USA Before the Constitution took place in Baltimore, Maryland.

In a weird way it foreshadowed that a part of Maryland would sacrifice a part of herself, which would become the permanent Capital of Washington DC.

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Photo Credit

http://www.city-data.com/forum/baltimore/140993-baltimore-skyline-photos.html

Continental Congress City Flag for Philadelphia

The Original Capital of the United States was Philadelphia, thus in honor of that time frame here is an honorable flag for the city of Philadelphia as the fledgling Capital of the United States of America. It is modeled after the flag of Washington DC. It uses the traditional colours of the Philadelphia City Flag - yellow and blue, which hearken back to the colours of Sweden, since Sweden was the first European Colonial power to settle in Philadelphia.

The first Continental Congress was held in 1774. Later the Declaration of Independence was issued in 1776. Philadelphia hosted the leaders of the American Revolution until December 12, 1776. Afterwards Baltimore became the Capital, for a short short while. Eight other cities would become temporary 'Capitals of the American Revolution' - see the list below to see their 'American Revolution Heritage Capital City Flags.'

Philadelphia was the capital in the summer of 78'. Most famously the Constitutional Congress met in 1787. But during the Constitutional Era - America Version 2.0 - Philadelphia was the second 'Constitutional' Capital of the USA for most of Washington's and Adam's term as chief executive. Also note that someday in the near or far future their may be an America Version 3.0? But one can suppose in the eyes of states to join the Southern Confederacy, America Version 3.0 was terminated under President Johnson.