US flags surrounding the Washington Monument, Washington, DC

History flies high. Flag Day

On June 14, the stars align—and not just figuratively. They line up on a piece of fabric that has seen battles, protests, and backyard barbecues. Flag Day marks the 1777 decision by the Second Continental Congress to adopt the national flag, but the story goes beyond stitches and stripes.

Enter Wisconsin teacher Bernard J. Cigrand, the 'father of Flag Day,' who began celebrating it with students in 1885. The idea endured, and in 2004 Congress declared his town, Waubeka, the holiday's official birthplace. Design debates still wave on. While Betsy Ross gets the spotlight, many credit Continental Congress delegate Francis Hopkinson with the pattern, which has since evolved into today's 50-star layout.

Six flags even rest on the Moon, left there by Apollo missions. Back on Earth, worn flags are respectfully burned to honor the flag's symbolism and the sacrifices it represents, as guided by the US Flag Code. Red stands for valor, white for purity, blue for vigilance and justice. Today is not a federal holiday, yet it raises the bar—and the banner.