The story behind Betsy Ross and the first American flag as America celebrates 250th birthday

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2026 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by LSEG. As America approaches its 250th anniversary, the Betsy Ross House in Philadelphia is revisiting the story of how one of the nation's most iconic symbols may have been created. PHILADELPHIA, Penn. – As America celebrates its 250th birthday, historic sites in Philadelphia are spotlighting the people and places tied to the nation’s earliest days — including one of its most enduring symbols: the American flag. While the Founding Fathers are often at the center of Revolutionary War history, one of the country’s most recognizable symbols is traditionally associated with an ordinary woman working from her home in Philadelphia. Betsy Ross, a 24-year-old upholsterer, is traditionally credited with sewing what many believe was the first American flag in the summer of 1776 after reportedly being approached by members of a flag committee that included George Was