A flag for the President of the Continental Congress - of the United States of America from 1774-1788

Who was the President of the United States of America in 1776?  George Washington? Nope.  The 'Presiding Officer' or leader of the political gang of patriots guiding America towards freedom was John Hancock.  This partly explains why his signature is so large on the Declaration of Independence.

Here is a flag to commemorate that office of US ABC - United States of America Before the Constitution.  

Fourteen men served in that office as the proverbial 'Chairman' of the Continental Congresses.  Note that this officer had none of the powers that 'official' or 'constitutional' presidents  had or have - like George Washington and Barack Obama.

So what can we do?  Make some commemorative one dollar bills to honor these men who served our country, so that we could enjoy the fruits of their labor?  This flag is dedicated to their spirit and service along with their colleagues whose labors gave rise to the United States of America, before the genesis of the US Constitution.

The flag has fourteen stripes to denote that fourteen persons held the title as 'President of the Continental Congress.'   The most famous person of the group is John Hancock who served two terms as 'President' of the US Continental Congress. The stars are eight pointed in the heraldic tradition.  The thirteen stars honor the thirteen colonies.  In the center is a seal, which can be found on the proceedings of the first the Continental Congress of 1774, when Peyton Randolph was President. The seal features a pillar standing on the Magna Charta held up by twelve hands.  On top of the pillar is a 'smurf' hat, also known as a liberty cap or Phrygian Cap.

An interesting fact is that one 'President' was not born in America.  Authur St. Clair the 13th Pre-Constitutional president was born in the Old Word - Scotland.  Although Maryland has not yet had a president sit in the 'Oval Office,'  the first president of American Gov 1.0 under the Articles of Confederation was from Maryland.  Also during this era three Pennsylvania boys were chosen to lead: two were from Philly - Mifflin & Boudinot, one was from New London Township.  Likewise before the Texan Nutmegger, there was Mr. Huntington.  Last but not least Middleton and Laurens were from South Carolina.

The rest were either from the Mom and Pop states of Virginia and Massachusetts.  Virginia is the 'Mommy' state of America, making Richard Henry Lee and Cyrus Griffin 'lost' presidents from Mother Virginia.  On the other hand, Massachusetts is the 'Daddy' state of America, thusly John Hancock and Nathaniel Gorham are 'lost' presidents from Father Massachusetts. Also note Mother Virginia is the alpha and omega of pre-Consitutuional presidents from Randolph to Griffin, is balanced in accordance with Father Massachusetts which led the United States during all three pre-Consitutuional eras:(#1) before the Declaration of Independence, (#2) before the adoption of the Articles of Confederation, (#3) during the legal use of the Articles of Confederation - US Gov 1.0, and with a cherry on top of it, during the issuance of the Declaration on Independence on July 4, 1776, through John Hancock.

Unfortunately New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Delaware, North Carolina, nor Georgia were able send one of their own native born sons to this highest of pre-Constitutional American political offices. 

American Capital City Heritage Flag for New York City

New York City was the last and eighth city to be the capital of the United States before the Constitutional Era.  The flag's colours are based upon the city flag of New York City and the design of the current Capital City Flag of the United States - Washington DC.  Also note that the colours from New York City's flag harken back to colonial colours of the Netherlands, since the Dutch were the first European peoples settle in New York, or as it was known back then as New Amsterdam. 

On January 11, 1785 New York City became the capital of the United States at Fraunces Tavern. It was the last meeting point of America 1.0 under the Articles of Confederation that took place on March 2, 1789 with Philip Pell in attendance.  Likewise New York City was the first capital of the United States under the US Constitution - America 2.0.

It was during the 'capital reign' of NYC that the North West Territories were forged in freedom, with the abolition of slavery, forever and everafter. 

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Photo Credit
http://sgproptalk.blogspot.com/2013_05_01_archive.html

Continental Congress Heritage Capital Flag for Tenton, New Jersey - the Seventh Captial of the United States

The colours of Trenton's Federal Heritage City Flag of the United States of America uses the colours buff and blue, which is based upon the colour preference of George Washington. The design is based upon the official flag of Washington DC.

For nearly two months in the Autumn of 1784 from November 1 unto December 24th the leaders of America used New Jersey's state capital as the federal capital at the French Arm's Tavern.

Score for states of cities hosting the US capital by city:
First Place: Pennsylvania = Philadelphia, York, Lancaster
Second Place: Maryland = Annapolis, Baltimore*
Third Place: New Jersey = Trenton, Princeton
Fourth Place: New York = New York City/Manhattan 
Fifth Place: Virginia = Alexandria

*Maryland beats out New Jersey since the she gets a point since the Federal City was taken from her land claim. 


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Photo Credit: 26 August 2009, Famartin, Downtown Trenton, New Jersey as viewed from Morrisville, Pennsylvania
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Downtown_Trenton_NJ.jpg

Continental Congress Flag for the Sixth Captial City of the United States - Annapolis, Maryland

On November 26, 1783 Annapolis Maryland became the sixth capital of the United States until August 17, 1784.

Here is an Honorable Capital City Heritage Flag to commemorate Annapolis' function as the federal city of the United States. The design is based upon the flag of Washington DC.  The colours are reflective of the patriotic American colours of Red, White, and Blue.  Blue also symbolizes the connection to the water that Annapolis holds as the seat of the US Navy's Naval Academy.

Coincidentally the colours blue and red reflect the flag essence of the Annapolis' coat of arms which has an English Rose and Scottish Thistle.  The colour red and white reflecting the flag of England, while blue and white honors the flag of Scotland.

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Photo Credit
http://dovetailproperties.com/

Continental Congress flag for the Fifth Capital City of the United States - Princeton, New Jersey

 Many know that Pennsylvania was the original capital of the United States, but few may recall that Maryland and New York were also temporary capitals.  However only a special minority can remember that New Jersey hosted the Capital of the US.

The fifth city to host the capital of the United States was Princeton, New Jersey. When Princeton was the capital it was also the first to breathe free and in peace as an independent nation.  In the summer of 1783 from June 30, 1783 until November 4, 1783 - New Jersey was the capital of the United States of America at Nassau Hall.

The Capital City Heritage Flag of Princeton is based upon the modern flag of Washington, D.C. but uses the school colours of Princeton University.

It was from this 'CAPITAL' that the UK made peace with the United States of America and recognize her independence. 

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Photo Credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Nassau_Hall_Princeton.JPG
Smallbones,  18 February 2012

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