⚠️This fact has been debunked
Historical evidence points to Francis Hopkinson as the designer of the first American flag. Congressional records from 1780 show Hopkinson submitted invoices for 'the design of the flag of the United States of America' to the Board of Admiralty. While the Betsy Ross legend is popular, it originated from her grandson's 1870 lecture with no supporting historical documentation.
No one knows who designed the first American Flag.
The Forgotten Founding Father Who Designed Old Glory
If you learned in school that Betsy Ross designed the American flag while George Washington looked on approvingly, you've been sold one of America's most enduring myths. The truth is far more interesting—and better documented.
Francis Hopkinson, a New Jersey delegate to the Continental Congress and signer of the Declaration of Independence, actually designed the Stars and Stripes. And unlike the Betsy Ross tale, we have the receipts. Literally.
The Man Who Billed Congress for Old Glory
In 1780, Hopkinson submitted an invoice to the Board of Admiralty requesting payment for, among other services, "the design of the flag of the United States of America." This wasn't a casual claim—it was an official government record. The invoice covered work he'd done in the years leading up to 1780.
Hopkinson wasn't just some random artist. He was a lawyer, poet, satirist, musician, federal judge, and one of the men who risked his life signing the Declaration of Independence. Designing symbols was kind of his thing—he also contributed to the design of the Great Seal of the United States.
Congress, being Congress, rejected his entire invoice. Their reasoning? They claimed he wasn't the only person consulted, so he couldn't take all the credit. Classic committee logic. Despite the payment snub, the congressional journals acknowledge Hopkinson's role in designing the flag.
So Where Did the Betsy Ross Story Come From?
The Betsy Ross legend didn't surface until 1870—nearly a century after the flag's creation—when her grandson William Canby gave a lecture to the Pennsylvania Historical Society. His evidence? Family stories and affidavits from relatives. No documents, no congressional records, no contemporary accounts.
Historians have searched extensively and found zero evidence of a congressional committee meeting with Betsy Ross in 1776, and no records of her designing the flag. What does exist are receipts showing she sewed ships' flags for the Pennsylvania navy. She was a skilled upholsterer and flag-maker, but not the flag's designer.
Why the Myth Stuck
The Betsy Ross story is irresistible: a humble seamstress creating America's most important symbol while Founding Fathers watched in amazement. It's the kind of tale that makes great elementary school pageants. Hopkinson's story, by contrast, involves bureaucratic invoices and payment disputes—not exactly inspiring material.
- The Ross story emerged during a wave of patriotic nostalgia in the 1870s
- It featured a relatable female protagonist in a male-dominated historical narrative
- It was simple, visual, and perfect for teaching children
- Once it entered textbooks, it became "fact" through repetition
Meanwhile, Francis Hopkinson—the actual designer—remains largely forgotten outside of history buff circles. His flag flew over Revolutionary War battlefields, early government buildings, and frontier forts. Congress may have stiffed him on payment, but his design became one of the world's most recognizable symbols.
So the next time you see the Stars and Stripes, remember: it was created not in a Philadelphia upholstery shop, but by a multi-talented Founding Father who probably would have appreciated getting paid for his work.