Western Expansion

After Utah was admitted to statehood in 1896, the 45-star flag took on more severe coloring and a more disciplined design as mechanical flag production became increasingly precise. It flew during the invasions of Puerto Rico, Cuba, and the Philippines and during intervention in various countries from Panama to China, in campaigns that included Korea in 1871, the Spanish-American War in 1898, the Philippine Insurrection in 1899, and the Boxer Rebellion in 1900. During the centennial celebration of 1876 and 1877, a 38-star flag associated with western expansion adapted the official 34-star national flag in a deable-wreath pattern whose inner ring of 13 stars symbolized the original states and whose outer ring represented the 24 states admitted since the country's founding, with speculation that a large star stood for Colorado after its admission in 1876. An inventive windblown flag design from 1866 tapered the constellation of stars at one end to give the impression of motion even at rest; it was cherished by a Civil War veteran who later became an Oregon pioneer, and the design became the frontrunner of many geometric abstractions popular during the centennial celebrations of 1876 and 1877.

Indianapolis city (balance), Indiana · United States