The American Revolutionary War began in April 1775 and, while the separate colonies had fought the early months of the war under independent banners, by the start of winter the Second Continental Congress had become a de facto war government with its own Army, Navy and Marine Corps.
The creation of this united force necessitated the creation of a new flag. This was done by sewing six white stripes on to the British Red Ensign that was flown from civilian and merchant ships. This featured the British Union Jack in upper-left corner, with a red field making up the rest of the flag. The addition of the white strips created 13 stripes, representing the Thirteen Colonies.
Historians disagree over why the British Ensign was used as the base flag. Some argue that it showed how the colonists were still broadly loyal to Britain while desiring self-government. Meanwhile others point out that adapting an official military flag could have been a conscious act of defiance. Whatever the true story, the first Grand Union Flag was hoisted by Lieutenant John Paul Jones on the Continental Navy’s newly-fitted man-of-war Alfred on 3 December, 1775. Jones later stated, ‘I hoisted with my own hands the Flag of Freedom the first time it was displayed on board the Alfred in the Delaware.’
Also known as the Continental Colors, the Grand Union Flag remained in use until the Flag Resolution of 14 June 1777. The resolution kept the red and white stripes of the existing flag, but replaced the British Union Jack in the top left corner with ‘thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation’.
