March 1867, the United States purchased Alaska from Russia for about two cents per acre. It was eventually organized as a Territory of the United States in 1912. On January 3, 1959, Alaska became the 49th State of the Union. Happy 52nd Birthday to this fine State.
Six rows of eight stars each on the field of blue had occupied the upper left-hand corner of Old Glory. Now, just in time for the beginning of my new career as a teacher, we had a "new" Old Glory with seven rows of seven stars on the blue field. Its tenure as our official flag was short-lived, though, because Hawaii was not far behind.*
*Hawaii was admitted to the Union August 21, 1959, less than a week after the start of the new school year. The new fifty-star flag became official on July 4, 1960. See "Flag Day."
1 comment:
I was in Jr Hi, and it seemed so strange and awesome that the US could still add states.
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