The Grand Union Flag was not the Stars and Stripes, and it was not a surrender flag. It was an early Continental banner: thirteen red and white stripes under the British Union in the corner. General George Washington's army raised it over Prospect Hill near Boston on January 1, 1776, while the colonies were still fighting Britain and independence had not yet been declared.
The short version
- The Grand Union Flag used thirteen stripes to represent the colonies, with the British Union still in its canton.
- It flew over the Continental Army's camp at Prospect Hill on January 1, 1776.
- Its mixed design fits a real moment in the Revolution, when the colonies were united in resistance but had not adopted a separate national flag.
- The familiar field of stars arrived later, after the Continental Congress passed the Flag Resolution on June 14, 1777.
The flag matters because it shows the Revolution in motion, not as a clean before-and-after story. If you are building a home display around American history, start with a properly made American flag for the present-day standard, then use early designs to tell the deeper story.
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What the Grand Union Flag looked like
The Grand Union Flag had thirteen alternating red and white stripes. In the upper-left canton sat the British Union, the combined crosses used by Great Britain at the time. That is the part that surprises people who expect every Revolutionary banner to look fully separate from Britain.
It makes more sense in its own year. In early 1776, the Continental Congress had created an army and the colonies had united against British policy, but the Declaration of Independence would not be adopted until July. The banner's stripes gave the colonies a shared visual identity. The canton showed that the break had not yet been settled in the symbols everyone used.
Canton
The upper corner of a flag next to the staff. On the modern American flag, it is the blue field of stars. On the Grand Union Flag, it carried the British Union.
The stripes are the clearest link between the Grand Union Flag and the flag that followed. The canton is where the history changes.
Why it went up at Prospect Hill
Washington had taken command of the Continental Army at Cambridge in July 1775. By New Year's Day, his force was still facing British-held Boston. The National Archives notes that the flag raised at Prospect Hill on January 1, 1776, looked enough like a British Union Jack at a distance that Loyalists in Boston initially thought the Continental side had accepted a surrender offer. It had not.
That confusion is part of the flag's story. The Grand Union Flag was a practical signal for a young army, but it also carried the awkward truth of the moment. The thirteen colonies were becoming a united cause before they had a finished national identity.
- June 1775The Continental Congress appoints George Washington commander in chief of the Continental forces.
- July 1775Washington assumes command of the main American army in Cambridge.
- January 1, 1776The Grand Union Flag is raised over Prospect Hill during the siege of Boston.
- June 14, 1777Congress resolves that the U.S. flag will have thirteen stripes and thirteen white stars on a blue field.
Grand Union Flag vs. the Stars and Stripes
The Grand Union Flag and the 1777 flag share the thirteen stripes, but they are not the same design. The 1777 resolution replaced the British Union with a blue field of thirteen stars. That change made the visual break plain. The new flag represented a separate United States, not a group of colonies still tied to the crown.
| Grand Union Flag | 1777 Stars and Stripes | |
|---|---|---|
| Stripes | Thirteen red and white stripes | Thirteen red and white stripes |
| Canton | British Union | Thirteen white stars on blue |
| Moment | Siege of Boston, January 1776 | Congressional resolution, June 1777 |
| What it signals | United colonies in a fast-changing conflict | A separate United States |
That difference is why the Grand Union Flag belongs in a history conversation, not in a casual substitute for the modern flag. For a current porch, wall, or pole display, use the modern U.S. flag and hang it with the union at the upper left when it is flat against a wall.
Do this
Use an early flag design as a teaching piece, then keep the modern U.S. flag in the position of honor for a current display.
Not this
Treat every striped Revolutionary-era banner as the first official Stars and Stripes. The dates and cantons matter.
How to display early American flags with care
Historical flags work best when the display tells people what they are looking at. A small card or spoken explanation can name the design, its date, and why it differs from today's U.S. flag. Keep the flag clean, secure, and clear of the floor. If you fly it outdoors, use hardware that can keep the fabric free instead of leaving it wrapped around a pole.
For a Revolutionary-era flag that is actually built for display, the Liberty Tree Appeal To Heaven Flag gives a different period design with its own story. It is not the Grand Union Flag, and that distinction is worth keeping. One clean flag and one accurate explanation beats a pile of vague colonial props.
A flag staff, clips, and clear space solve more display problems than extra decorations ever will.
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For a current display 3' x 5' American Flag A classic 3 by 5 foot flag gives a home display the familiar modern proportion. Use it for the present-day flag position, then let historic designs do the teaching beside it. Shop VIP Discount → |
Questions people ask about the Grand Union Flag
Short answer
The Grand Union Flag was an early Continental banner with thirteen stripes and the British Union in its canton. It was raised over Washington's camp at Prospect Hill on January 1, 1776, before Congress adopted the stars-and-stripes design in 1777.
Was the Grand Union Flag the first American flag?
It was one important early Continental flag, but it was not the official stars-and-stripes flag adopted by Congress in 1777. Several colonial and military banners were used during the Revolutionary period.
Why did the Grand Union Flag have the British Union in the corner?
The design came from a moment before independence was formally declared. The colonies were united against Britain, but the political break was still unfolding.
When did the stars replace the British Union?
The Continental Congress passed the Flag Resolution on June 14, 1777. It called for thirteen stripes and thirteen white stars in a blue field.
Can I fly a Grand Union Flag at home?
Yes, as a historical display. Keep its history clear and use the modern U.S. flag when you want to represent the current national flag.
Where this comes from
- National Archives, A funny thing happened on the way to the Revolutionary War, consulted for the January 1, 1776 Prospect Hill account and the 1777 Flag Resolution.
- Library of Congress, George Washington's Commission as Commander in Chief, consulted for the commissioning and Cambridge dates.
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