The Flag of the United States of America was born on June 14, 1777, almost a year after the Declaration of Independence.

Prior to the 1920s, there was little consistency in how the U.S. flag could be flown or used because there were no federal or state regulations to provide guidelines regarding its display. On Flag Day, 1923 the National Flag Code was adopted by the National Flag Conference; a similar conference the following year made some slight changes. These guidelines became the basis for a joint resolution of Congress on June 22, 1942 - and amended December 22, 1942 - to become law.

The American Legion website, www.legion.org/flag, is an excellent resource for information on how respectfully display and handle the American flag. On this site you will find:

• The U.S. Flag Code
• Flag-folding procedures
• Information on when a flag becomes unserviceable and how to properly dispose of it
• Flag myths
• Frequently asked questions
• Videos
• Resources
• And more!

For information on how to order a burial flag for the funeral of a U.S. military veteran, please visit the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs - National Cemetery Administration page on that topic.