Betsy Ross was a figure in the history of the USA in what century?
Betsy Ross flag Although early American flags featured stars with various numbers of points, the five-pointed star is the defining feature of the Betsy Ross design, and became the norm on Navy Ensigns. This may have been simply because five-pointed stars were more clearly defined from a distance. The arrangement of the stars varied widely throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. The circular arrangement of the "Betsy Ross" design was seen as early as 1777 at the surrender of General John Burgoyne at Saratoga. Eyewitness Alfred Street wrote: The stars were disposed in a circle, symbolizing the perpetuity of the Union; the ring,
Betsy Ross flag Invention of History." Ross biographer Marla Miller points out, however, that even if one accepts Canby's presentation, Betsy Ross was merely one of several flag makers in Philadelphia, and her only contribution to the design was to change the 6-pointed stars to the easier 5-pointed stars. According to the traditional account, the original flag was made in June 1776, when a small committee including George Washington, Robert Morris and relative George Ross visited Betsy and discussed the need for a new American flag. Betsy accepted the job to manufacture the flag, altering the committee's design by replacing the six-pointed stars