A Flag with 50 Stars
The first American flag to have red and white stripes and white stars on a blue field was flown in 1776, shortly after the United States declared its independence from Great Britain. Legend has it that a Philadelphia seamstress named Betsy Ross was hired by George Washington himself to create this flag. There is no evidence that this legend is true, and no one knows for certain who made the first flag, which had 13 stars and 13 stripes. However, we know for a fact that the first flag to have 50 stars—the one we have today—was designed by a high school student.
In 1958, Bob Heft was a 17-year-old student at Lancaster High School in Ohio. At that time, the United States had only 48 states but was on the verge of accepting two more: Alaska and Hawaii. The U.S. flag at the time had six neat rows of eight stars each. What would be the best way to add two more stars while keeping the arrangement neat and orderly? This was the question that Bob’s history teacher posed to the class.
The teacher gave the students an assignment: design a flag with 50 stars. Bob spent hours in the attic of his house, cutting up a 48-star flag and rearranging the stars until they fit just right. He was pleased with his solution to the problem, but his teacher found it less than perfect and gave him a B minus. Outraged, Bob told his teacher that he was going to send his design to his member of Congress, Walter Moeller. His teacher replied that if Bob’s design was accepted as the new flag, he would be more than happy to change his grade to an A.
A year later, Bob had graduated and was working as a draftsman when he received a call at work. He never would have imagined a call from President Eisenhower—but that's who it was! Now that Alaska and Hawaii had been admitted as states, Congressman Moeller had succeeded in having Bob's design chosen as the new U.S. flag. Bob Heft was invited to Washington, D.C., for a ceremony during which his design was officially adopted as the new flag of the United States.
Question 1
Part A
What inference can be made about the time period of the text?
Responses
It was a time when the nation was changing.
It was a time when the nation was changing.
People were more patriotic than they are today.
People were more patriotic than they are today.
People were more traditional than they are today.
People were more traditional than they are today.
It was a time of uncertainty and worry.
It was a time of uncertainty and worry.
Question 2
Part B - Points depend on a correct response in Part A.
Which evidence from the text best supports the answer in Part A?
Responses
“However, we know for a fact that the first flag to have 50 stars—the one we have today—was designed by a high school student.”
“However, we know for a fact that the first flag to have 50 stars—the one we have today—was designed by a high school student.”
“Outraged, Bob told his teacher that he was planning on sending his design to his member of Congress, Walter Moeller.”
“Outraged, Bob told his teacher that he was planning on sending his design to his member of Congress, Walter Moeller.”
“Bob Heft was invited to Washington, D.C., for a ceremony during which his design was officially adopted as the new flag of the United States.”
“Bob Heft was invited to Washington, D.C., for a ceremony during which his design was officially adopted as the new flag of the United States.”
“At that same time, the United States had only 48 states but was on the verge of accepting two more: Alaska and Hawaii.”
“At that same time, the United States had only 48 states but was on the verge of accepting two more: Alaska and Hawaii.”
1 answer
Question 1: Part A
The best inference to make about the time period of the text is:
It was a time when the nation was changing.
Question 2: Part B
The evidence from the text that best supports the answer in Part A is:
“At that same time, the United States had only 48 states but was on the verge of accepting two more: Alaska and Hawaii.”
