(Editor's note: The writer of this article is the resident storyteller at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum. He was presented the George Washington Award for Excellence in Public Communications by the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge for his historic and patriotic storytelling programs. This is one of his most requested stories.)

Today a great debate is taking place on whether or not we should have launched a war in Iraq. Demonstrations are held daily, on both sides of the issue. But there is universal agreement on one subject -- that the United States is a great country, the best nation on earth to call home. Proudly flying the American flag is the most popular and visual way for people to express this patriotism for their home country.

Particularly since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, flags have been waving everywhere - on homes, buildings, cars, motorcycles, and boats. The significance of the flag started when it was first designed and sewed together in 1776. As a professional storyteller, I have a great many stories to select from when planning programs, but by far the most popular in recent years has been the story about the birth of the American flag. Here is a condensed version of that story.

Birth of the American Flag

This is based on the oft-told story of Betsy (Griscom) Ross. There are several aspects of that historic story that surprise and amaze most people. It touches directly on patriotism that has so dramatically resurfaced in recent years throughout our nation. I won't try to relate the entire story here but just touch on a few most interesting points.

Betsy Griscom came from a really large Quaker family, living in Philadelphia in the 1700s. The family included 17 kids; Betsy was eighth in the line of offspring, born on January 1, 1752, to Samuel and Rebecca (James) Griscom. She received her initial experience in needlework as a teenager.

Like most children in very large families, Betsy was expected to take part in helping the family financially. Her role was to make and sell the little white caps worn by all Quaker girls at that time. She put a unique design on each cap, and it was considered something of a status symbol for girls to wear a cap designed and made by Betsy.

While still a teenager, she went to work as an apprentice at an upholstery shop in Philadelphia. A few months later, the shop owner hired another apprentice to work along with Betsy. This was a tall, good-looking fellow - the son of a local clergyman. His name was John Ross.

The two worked together well and were soon dating during non-working hours. However, when they announced plans to be married, both their families objected vehemently. John was a very nice young fellow, everyone agreed, and he was the son of a clergyman - but not a Quaker clergyman. Finally, Betsy and John got fed up with all the family bickering and ran off to Gloucester, New Jersey and were married on April 4, 1773.

A couple of years later, in 1775, they opened their own upholstery shop in Philadelphia. This was the year the Revolutionary War started, and John felt so strongly about the effort to create a new independent nation, free from English rule, he immediately joined the Continental Army. Shortly thereafter, he was stationed to guard a storehouse for munitions. The gunpowder went off, causing an explosion, and Ross was killed.

Betsy, now a widow and sole owner-operator of the upholstery shop, worked harder than ever at her business. One day in June, 1776, she was working behind the counter and looked up to see a man walking through the front door of her shop. He was tall, with broad shoulders, and he was wearing a uniform with many medals. He was followed by several other men.

As he walked toward the counter, Betsy realized this was none other than General George Washington, the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army.

"Betsy, I've heard you're the very best needlework artisan in all of Philadelphia," he said. "I have a really special job for you, if you'll agree to do it.

"We need a visual symbol for the new independent nation we're forming," he said. "We need something our people can look at and feel good and proud that they're part of this new and free country."

He asked Betsy if she would be willing to sew a flag that would visually represent their new nation. Betsy agreed, but after carefully examining the rough sketch Washington showed her - a sketch he had drawn the previous evening -- she offered a few suggestions regarding the flag design.

"I notice you want 13 six-pointed stars on that blue field in the corner," she said. "They of course represent our 13 colonies. That's fine, but I think it would look better if they were five-pointed stars.

"Also, General, if you don't mind me saying so, I don't think it should be a square flag, as you've indicated on your sketch. A rectangular-shaped flag would look better when the wind unfurls it at the top of flag poles."

Washington thought for a moment and then agreed with Betsy. "Follow my basic design as I've sketched out here, but incorporate your ideas. I think that will improve it."

Two days later, Washington returned to the shop to pick up the new flag. He was delighted with what he saw. Very soon that flag design was flying high and proud on flag poles throughout the colonies.

The following year, in 1777, Congress enacted a special resolution declaring this flag design - with its 13 five-pointed stars and rectangular shape - to be the official flag of the United States of America.

Jim Woodard is a storyteller and writer - the resident storyteller at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. He has a storytelling Web site, with links to several articles on oral storytelling -- www.jimwoodard.net.