4th of July Greetings with Ellen Clapsaddle

The American flag is the most popular element in July 4 greeting cards. It has its own symbolism. Thirteen stripes for thirteen original colonies forming the USA and 50 stars for all the states in today's USA. Ellen Clapsaddle designed these postcards at the beginning of the 20th century which means the number of stars was not the same as today.

The last five states admitted to the USA are:

• Oklahoma (1907)
• New Mexico (1912)
• Arizona (1912)
• Alaska (1959)
• Hawaii (1959)

The official U.S. flag went through 27 different versions from 1777 to 1960 with 25 of them just changing the number of stars.

The colors of the flag have symbolic meanings as well:

• white stands for independence, innocence, and purity,
• red is for courage, energy, desire, hardiness, passion, and valor,
• blue signifies comfort, happiness, peace, justice, perseverance, relaxation, and vigilance.

If you are curious, you can also check more in-depth article about meanings of colors with examples.

Among all patriotic celebrations, the Fourth of July is still by far the biggest and most recognizable. It's marked by many astonishing fireworks which found their way to Clapsaddle's postcards as well.

Apart from celebrations in all 50 American states, the federal district, and territories, the U.S. Independence Day is celebrated in some other countries like Denmark, Ireland, and Norway. These countries sent numerous immigrants to North America and are constantly strengthening bonds with the USA. Australia, on the other hand, celebrates it more for fun, and, let's face it, it's a perfect opportunity for a BBQ!

Now you know - mark your July calendar so you won't miss anything!

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