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The Sons of Liberty Flag
 Sons of Liberty (9-stripes) | |
| Other names | Rebellious Stripes, Liberty Tree Flag |
|---|---|
| Use | Other   |
| Adopted |
|
| Relinquished | December 1775 |
| Design | First: Nine vertical stripes, alternating red and white. Second: Thirteen horizontal stripes, alternating red and white. |
 Thirteen Stripes | |
.svg) | |
The Sons of Liberty holds a significant place in American history as a symbol of the early resistance against British rule. Its origins date back to 1765 when a group of patriots, initially called "the Loyal Nine," was formed. This group later became widely known for their role in the Boston Tea Party. The British authorities viewed the flag as a symbol of rebellion and resistance [1]. As a result, the British tried to suppress it, along with other forms of colonial protest. The flag became a powerful symbol of American resistance and independence, and its suppression only heightened its significance among the American colonists [2][3].
Sons of Liberty Flag: Rebellious Stripes
The flag of the Sons of Liberty, known as Rebellious Stripes[4], adopted in 1767, featured nine alternating (five red and four white) vertical stripes. It is an assumption that the stripes represented the nine colonies that participated in the Stamp Act Congress [5][6][7]: (Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and South Carolina).
Sons of Liberty Flag: Thirteen Stripes
The transition from nine vertical to thirteen horizontal stripes likely occurred around 1775, after the meeting of delegates from the Thirteen Colonies[8]. This change symbolized the unified resistance of the newly formed United Colonies against British rule[9]. By the time the American Revolutionary War was in full swing, the flag had evolved to display thirteen stripes, aligning with the thirteen United Colonies. The origin of the thirteen-striped flag is debated, with some attributing it to Commodore Esek Hopkins «The Striped Jack» of the Continental Navy [10][11]. Additionally, a flag with thirteen horizontal red and white stripes used by American merchant ships during the war was also associated with the Sons of Liberty[12]. Although there is some historical ambiguity regarding the evolution of the flag[13].
Early Colonists' Protest Flag[14]
The Rebellious Stripes flag was originally hoisted at the Liberty Tree, a famous elm tree that stood in famous park in Boston and served as a meeting place for the Sons of Liberty and other patriot groups. The Liberty Tree became a symbol of resistance against British oppression, and when the British cut them down, the Sons of Liberty erected Liberty Pole in their place [15]. The Liberty Tree in Boston Common was particularly significant, and its legacy is commemorated with a bronze plaque at its former site [16]. The flag itself came to represent the unity and determination of the American colonists in their quest for liberty [17].
Controversy and Legacy
The origins of the flag are subject to debate and speculation. An old Sons of Liberty flag in the New State House, allegedly from 1775, is likely not genuine due to discrepancies in its materials and historical context [18]. Some theories suggest that the flag may have evolved from the British Red Ensign, which would have been a provocative act of rebellion [19]. The Sons of Liberty flag, in both their 9-striped and 13-striped forms, symbolize the early American spirit of resistance and unity in the American Revolution.
References
- ^ Wood, G.S. (1991) The Radicalism of the American Revolution. Alfred A. Knopf.
- ^ Breen, T.H. (2004) The Marketplace of Revolution: How Consumer Politics Shaped American Independence. Oxford University Press.
- ^ Miller JC. Sam Adams: Pioneer in Propaganda. Stanford: Stanford University Press; 1963.
- ^ Alexander, J. The Sons of Liberty and the Rebellious Stripes. Boston Historical Society; 2015.
- ^ Greenwood JT. The Stamp Act Congress: Twenty-Seven Angry Men. History Press; 2016.
- ^ Whipple ABC. The Sons of Liberty: The Lives and Times of Six Who Defied the British. Boston Globe; 1974
- ^ Unger HG. John Hancock: Merchant King and American Patriot. New York: Wiley; 2000.
- ^ Martill, S. (2012). The American Revolution and the Flag. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.
- ^ Ramsay, J. (2016). The History of the American Revolution. New York: Penguin Books
- ^ Smith, W. (2001). Patriots and Plunder: The Revolutionary War in America. Boston: Beacon Press.
- ^ Ferling J. A Leap in the Dark: The Struggle to Create the American Republic. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 2003.
- ^ erling, J. (2010). Independence: The Struggle to Set America Free. New York: Bloomsbury Press
- ^ Williams, H. Flags of the American Revolution. Revolutionary Press; 2016
- ^ Ketchum, Richard M. Divided Loyalties: How the American Revolution Came to New York. Henry Holt and Company, 2002
- ^ Philbrick N. Bunker Hill: A City, a Siege, a Revolution. New York: Viking; 2013.
- ^ Middlekauff R. The Glorious Cause: The American Revolution, 1763-1789. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 2005.
- ^ Boston History, n.d. The Liberty Tree. [online] Available at: http://www.bostonhistory.org [Accessed 6 August 2024].
- ^ Middlekauff R. The Glorious Cause: The American Revolution, 1763-1789. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 2005.
- ^ Breen TH. The Marketplace of Revolution: How Consumer Politics Shaped American Independence. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 2004.