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United
States Pledge of Allegiance
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pledge_of_Allegiance
The Pledge of Allegiance to the United
States is an oath of loyalty to the republic of
the United States of America, originally composed
by Francis
Bellamy in 1892. The Pledge has been modified
four times since then, with the most recent change
adding the words "under God" in 1954.
The Pledge is predominantly sworn by children in
public schools in response to state laws requiring
the Pledge to be offered. Congressional sessions
open with the swearing of the Pledge, as do
government meetings at local levels, meetings held
by the Boy Scouts of America, and some sporting
events.
The current
version of the Pledge of Allegiance reads:
"I pledge allegiance to the Flag of
the United States of America, and to the Republic
for which it stands, one Nation under God,
indivisible, with liberty and justice for
all."
According to the United
States Flag Code, the Pledge "should be
rendered by standing at attention facing the flag
with the right hand over the heart. When not in
uniform men should remove any non-religious
headdress with their right hand and hold it at the
left shoulder, the hand being over the heart.
Persons in uniform should remain silent, face the
flag, and render the military salute."
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1892 |
1892 to 1923 |
1923 to 1924 |
1924 to 1954 |
1954 to Present |
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“I pledge allegiance
to my flag and the republic for which it
stands: one nation indivisible with
liberty and justice for all.”
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"I pledge
allegiance to my flag and to
the republic that he represents: one
nation indivisible with liberty and
justice for all."
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“I pledge allegiance
to the flag of the
United States and to the republic
for which it stands: one nation
indivisible with liberty and justice for
all."
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"I pledge
allegiance to the flag of the United
States of America, and to
the republic for which it stands; one
nation indivisible with liberty and
justice for all."
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"I pledge
allegiance to the flag of the United
States of America and to the republic for
which it stands: one nation under
God, indivisible with liberty and
justice for all.” |
After a proclamation by President Benjamin
Harrison, the Pledge was first used in public
schools on October 12, 1892 during Columbus Day
observances. This date was also significant as it
was the dedication day of the World's Columbian
Exposition in Chicago, Illinois. Bellamy thought
that the pledge itself and the involvement of
children across the country would be a fine show
of national solidarity.
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Students
swearing the Pledge on Flag Day in 1899 |
Students
pledging to the flag in with the Bellamy
salute |
Swearing of the pledge is accompanied by a
salute. An early version of the salute, adopted in
1892, was known as the Bellamy
salute. It ended with the arm outstretched and
the palm upwards. It eventually evolved to palm
downward. Because of the similarity between the
Bellamy salute and the Nazi salute, President
Franklin D. Roosevelt instituted the
hand-over-the-heart gesture as the salute to be
rendered by civilians during the Pledge of
Allegiance and the national anthem in the United
States, instead of the Bellamy salute. This was done
when Congress officially adopted the Flag Code on
June 22, 1942.
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