Flag Day Trivia

American flag facts we bet you don't know (mostly because we made them up).

Jun 13, 2025

∙ Paid

person holding U.S.A. flag — Photo by Paul Weaver on Unsplash

Tomorrow is Flag Day, once again! And we all know what that means. It’s time to… celebrate the flag… or something.

Of course, this year, all of our favorite long-standing Flag Day traditions take a back seat to the fact that Donald Trump is throwing himself a big boy birthday boom boom parade. But some Americans still remember what was important about this holiday before the “War on Flag Day” began. For you, we offer these historical insights about Old Glory. It has a much more interesting past than you might imagine.

AMERICAN FLAG FACTS WE BET YOU DON'T KNOW

According to official protocol, if a flag touches the ground, it must be washed with a detergent manufactured in the United States.
If a new state is added, a 51st star will not be created. The new state will simply share a star with an existing state.
The original design was supposed to have smiley faces instead of stars, but Benjamin Franklin thought it looked undignified.

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A guest post by

Jeff Kruse

I'm a lifelong resident of the L.A. area, and wrote regularly for MAD magazine for over 20 years. I also have sitcom screenwriting credits, but that's for public access. You wouldn't have much interest in that, would you?