Josh Delfosse

The American Flag is a very important piece of United States culture. As many of you
know, the flag symbolizes the 50 states and the 13 original colonies. But, did you know that the
flag carries much more symbolism than just that? The ceremony of folding the flag alone has
more than 12 meanings, including one for each fold. In the following presentation I will be
teaching you the rules of handling the flag, the proper steps of folding and the meanings of the
ceremony.
Before we begin folding however, lets first learn the rules of handling the flag. The
official name for the rules is The United States Flag Code and the code is actually a US federal
law. However, the rules aren't actually enforced as laws and they are seen as something you do
out of respect to our country. Some of the following rules were also deemed unconstitutional
because they go against our first Amendment right, the freedom of speech. The rules are stated
as the following
Do not dip the flag for any person or thing
Never display the flag with the stars facing downward unless it is used as a signal of
distress
Never use the flag for advertising, do not print anything on it or use it to hang
advertisement,
Do not print it on disposable things or things that are meant to be thrown away, like a
box used for shipping
Do not use the flag for a costume or clothing, for example a cape
The flag should never have any symbol or logo attached onto it, including letters or
numbers
You should never use the flag to carry, hold, deliver, or receive anything
The flag should not touch the ground be, stepped on, or be hung in places where it can
become easily torn or tattered
Some people also think that if the flag touches the ground that it must be burnt, however this is
not a rule. It is actually an urban legend, the flag only needs to be burned when it is being
disposed of.
Now that we have learned the rules of handling the flag, its time to begin folding. You
want to begin by holding the flag about waist level parallel to the ground, with one person on
each side like so. After you are both holding the flag tightly, the person who is doing the folding
will fold the lower half over the blue and white stars, being sure to hold the corners tightly. Next,
you want to fold it again lengthwise with the blue area showing. Then, make a triangular fold by
bringing the striped corner of the folded edge up to the top. After you do this, fold the triangle
you created over to the left to create another triangle. Continue this triangular folding until the
entire length of the flag is folded like this. When you are completed, make sure the blue area is
only showing and tuck the white edge of the flag into the fold.
Our flag is now folded and we are going to learn the meaning of the ceremony it may be
used in. The ceremony is used as a dramatic and uplifting way to honor the flag on special days
like memorial day and veterans day. The reason why the canton of blue stars is shown is
because it represents the states that the soldiers have served for. Not only does the white stars
and blue background have a meaning, but as I stated in the beginning of the speech, every fold
has a meaning. I will now read to you the ceremony script on what the first three folds mean.
The first fold of our flag is a symbol of life. The second fold is a symbol of our belief in the
eternal life. The third fold is made in honor and remembrance of the veterans departing our
ranks who gave a portion of life for the defense of our country to attain a peace throughout the
world. The ceremony then continues on, going through what each of the 12 folds mean.
In conclusion, today I have taught you the rules of flag handling, the steps on how to fold
the flag for a ceremony and the meaning of the ceremony. Now you know a little bit more about
your country and what its flag symbolizes.Thank you.

Sources:

"United States Flag Code." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 18 Sept. 2016.

"Flag-Folding Procedures." The American Legion and U.S. Veterans Association. N.p., n.d.
Web. 18 Sept. 2016.

Streufert, Duane. "Flag Folding." USFlag.org: A Website Dedicated to the Flag of the United
States of America - Flag Folding. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Sept. 2016.