HR0418 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0418 LRB101 12662 MST 61227 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, On April 4, 1818, during the same year that Illinois was granted statehood, the United States Congress passed the Flag Act of 1818, defining as the standard for our nation's flag that it shall be comprised of 13 alternating red and white horizontal stripes along with a field of blue containing 20 white stars representing the 20 states at that time; and

WHEREAS, The Flag Act of 1818 specified that a star should be added to our nation's flag for each future state admitted to the union and that each new star should be added on the next Independence Day, July 4, following a state's admission to the union; and

WHEREAS, On December 3, 1818, President James Monroe signed the congressional authorization admitting Illinois into the union as the 21st state of the United States of America; and

WHEREAS, On July 4, 1819, the 21st star, representing Illinois statehood, was added to the United States flag, which served as the official flag until July 3, 1820 when the 22nd and 23rd stars were added; and

WHEREAS, On December 3, 2018, Illinois celebrated its bicentennial, culminating a year-long celebration of our great State's 200th birthday; and

WHEREAS, July 4, 2018 will be the 200th anniversary of the 21st star being added to the flag of the United States, representing Illinois as the 21st state of our union; it was also the first star added to the flag under the Flag Act of 1818, which remains the law to this day defining how stars are added to the United States flag; and

WHEREAS, Any version of the United States flag which has previously been an official version of the flag, including the 21-star flag following Illinois statehood, is still determined to be an official flag of the United States and can be used in any setting as an official flag of the United States; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that on July 4, 2019, the bicentennial of the 21st star being added to the flag of the United States, we honor that flag as a lasting symbol of Illinois statehood; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we encourage the citizens of Illinois to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the star representing Illinois being added to the flag of the United States by remembering this historic occasion on Independence Day 2019.