The Importance Of The Pledge Of Allegiance

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The United States needed a call for those of a broken nation to join together under one flag. The solution appeared when the Pledge of Allegiance was formed as it is now recited all across the country to bring unity throughout. Americans pledge loyalty to their country when reciting the Pledge of Allegiance which affirms the values and freedom of the United States (“The Pledge of Allegiance”). The original Pledge of Allegiance was written by Francis Bellamy in August 1892 (Baer). Bellamy is a Baptist minister who would lecture about how the middle class could create a planned economy with political, social, and economic equality for all. He was also the chairman of a committee of state superintendents of education in the National Education Association. While he was the chairman, he prepared the program for the public schools’ quadricentennial celebration for Columbus Day in 1892. In this public school program, he made a flag raising ceremony and a flag salute with his pledge. The original Pledge of Allegiance read as follows: ‘I pledge allegiance to my Flag and (to*) the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all’ (Philyaw). He considered placing the words ‘equality,’ in his pledge, but then knew that the state superintendents of education on his committee were against equality for women and African Americans. Bellamy expresses the thought process in picking the words of his pledge, “It began as an intensive communing with salient points of our national history, from the Declaration of Independence onwards; with the makings of the Constitution…” (Bellamy). His pledge was published in the September 8th issue of The Youth’s Companion. The Pledge of Allegiance is a patriotic oath and a p... ... middle of paper ... ...near a right triangle as possible. There are some guidelines to follow when saying the pledge. Section 7 of the Federal Flag Code states that whenever you’re not in any military uniform, men should remove any headdress with their right hand and holds it at the left shoulder (The Pledge of Allegiance). It should be resting in your hand over the heart. For those in military uniform, they should remain silent, face the flag, and render the military salute. Anyone else may say along with the pledge and also use the correct salute position. The Pledge of Allegiance is a promise or oath of allegiance to the United States as represented by the American flag. It is recited daily all across the United Sates due to its true meaning behind each and every last word. The Pledge of Allegiance gives us a way to keep our country strong and is a necessity to fuel the United States.

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