The following is the American Legion’s beautiful interpretation of the 13 folds of the American flag.
Video demonstration and search-a-word puzzle are below.
The Thirteen Folds:
1. The first fold of our flag is a symbol of life.
2. The second signifies our belief in eternal life.
3. The third fold is made in honor and tribute of the veteran departing our ranks, and who gave a portion of his or her life for the defense of our country to attain peace.
4. The fourth fold exemplifies our weaker nature. As citizens trusting in God, it is to Him we turn for His divine guidance.
5. The fifth fold is an acknowledgment to our country, for in the words of Stephen Decatur, “Our country, in dealing with other countries, may she always be right, but it is still our country, right or wrong.”
6. The sixth fold is for where our hearts lie. It is with our heart that we pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
The last seven folds are tributes –
7. The seventh fold is a tribute to our armed forces, for it is through the armed forces that we protect our country and our flag against all enemies.
8. The eighth fold is a tribute to the one who entered into the valley of the shadow of death, that we might see the light of day, and to honor our mother, for whom it flies on Mother’s Day.
9. The ninth fold is an honor to womanhood, for it has been through their faith, love, loyalty, and devotion that the character of the men and women who have made this country great have been molded.
10. The tenth fold is a tribute to father, for he, too, has given his sons and daughters for the defense of our country since he or she was first-born.
11. The eleventh fold, in the eyes of Jewish citizens, represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon and glorifies, in their eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
12. The twelfth fold, in the eyes of a Christian citizen, represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies, in their eyes, God the Father, the Son, and Holy Ghost.
13. The thirteenth fold, when the flag is completely folded, show the stars are uppermost. This reminds us of our national motto, “In God We Trust.”
This interpretation is from the American Legion. Thank you to the American Legion Auxiliary for sharing this with us.
Video and Search a Word Puzzle
Here is a video demonstration of proper folding of the American flag. Watch how much pride and care they take in their task!
American Flag Search-A-Word puzzle!
Search words are below the puzzle.
When you find a word from the list, just click its first and last letter.
The whole word will then light up! You may need to slide the puzzle from side to side to see all the letters.
Feature photo by Edgar Colomba
