Flag Day

In the United States, Flag Day is celebrated on June 14. It commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States, which happened on that day in 1777 by resolution of the Second Continental Congress.

On May 30, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a presidential proclamation establishing a national Flag Day on June 14. Many Americans celebrate Flag Day by displaying the Red, White and Blue in front of homes and businesses. The day commemorates the adoption of the Stars and Stripes as the official flag of the United States.

What do people do?

Flag Day falls within National Flag Week, a time when Americans reflect on the foundations of the nation’s freedom. The flag of the United States represents freedom and has been an enduring symbol of the country’s ideals since its early days. During both events, Americans also remember their loyalty to the nation, reaffirm their belief in liberty and justice, and observe the nation’s unity.

Many people in the United States honor this day by displaying the American flag at homes and public buildings. Other popular ways of observing this holiday include: flag-raising ceremonies; Flag Day services; school quizzes and essay competitions about the American flag; musical salutes; street parades; and awards for special recognition.

Organizations such as The National Flag Day Foundation are actively involved in coordinating activities centered on the event and keeping the flag’s traditions alive. Following Flag Day is Honor America Days, a 21-day period through to Independence Day (July 4) to honor America. During this period, people hold public gatherings and activities to celebrate and honor the nation.

Background

On June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress replaced the British symbols of the Grand Union flag with a new design featuring 13 white stars in a circle on a field of blue and 13 red and white stripes – one for each state. Although it is not certain, this flag may have been made by the Philadelphia seamstress Betsy Ross, who was an official flag maker for the Pennsylvania Navy. The number of stars increased as the new states entered the Union, but the number of stripes stopped at 15 and was later returned to 13.

In June 1886 Bernard Cigrand made his first public proposal for the annual observance of the birth of the flag when he wrote an article titled “The Fourteenth of June” in the old Chicago Argus newspaper. Cigrand’s effort to ensure national observance of Flag Day finally came when President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation calling for a nationwide observance of the event on June 14, 1916. However, Flag Day did not become official until August 1949, when President Harry Truman signed the legislation and proclaimed June 14 as Flag Day. In 1966, Congress also requested that the President issue annually a proclamation designating the week in which June 14 occurs as National Flag Week.

The President is requested to issue each year a proclamation to: call on government officials in the USA to display the flag of the United States on all government buildings on Flag Day; and to urge US residents to observe Flag Day as the anniversary of the adoption on June 14, 1777, by the Continental Congress of the Stars and Stripes as the official flag of the United States.


Symbols

The American flag, also nicknamed as “Old Glory” or “star-spangled banner”, has changed designs over the centuries. It consists of 13 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white, with a blue rectangle in the canton bearing 50 small, white, five-pointed stars. Each of the 50 stars represents one of the 50 states in the United States and the 13 stripes represent the original 13 colonies that became the first states in the Union.

Noun Clauses

Noun Clauses

What Are Noun Clauses? 
A noun clause is a clause that plays the role of a noun. For example (noun clauses in red):
I like what I see.
I know that the tide is turning.
I've met the man who won the lottery.

Compare the three examples above to these:
I like cakes.
I know London.
I've met Madonna.

The words in blue are all nouns. This shows that clauses in red in the first three examples are functioning as nouns, making them noun clauses.

Another example:

The "empanada" gave me heartburn.

("empanada" and "heartburn" are the nouns in this sentence. "Gave" is the verb and "empanada" is the subject.)

But What About This One?

What I had for breakfast gave me heartburn.

(The verb is still "gave," but the subject is a noun clause: "What I had for breakfast.")

Like any noun, a noun clause can be a subject, an object, or a complement.
In a sentence, a noun clause will be a dependent clause. In other words, a noun clause does not stand alone as a complete thought.

Examples of Noun Clauses:
-A person who trusts no one can't be trusted. (This noun clause is the subject of the sentence.)

-That he believes his own story is remarkable. (This noun clause is the subject of the sentence. Be aware that starting a sentence with a noun clause starting That is acceptable, but it grates on lots of people's ears. As a result, many writers prefer to precede it with "The fact…".)

-Ask your child what he wants for dinner only if he's buying. (This noun clause is the direct object of ask.)

-He knows all about art, but he doesn't know what he likes. (This noun clause is the direct object of know.)

-It is even harder for the average ape to believe that he has descended from man. (This noun clause is the direct object of believe.)

-"I never know how much of what I say is true". Bette Midler (This noun clause is an object of a preposition.)

-Man is what he eats. (This noun clause is a subject complement.)

-"My one regret in life is that I am not someone else." Woody Allen (This noun clause is a subject complement.)

Words that introduce noun clauses are:

WHOM, WHOSE, WHO, WHICH, WHAT, WHEN, WHY, HOW, WHERE, THAT


Taken from:
http://www.grammar-monster.com/glossary/noun_clauses.htm

Adverbial Clauses of Time

An adverb clause of time shows when something happens. It is usually introduced by time adverbs. Examples are: before, after, as, when, while, until, as soon as, since, no sooner than, as long as etc. Note that all adverb clauses are subordinate clauses. They cannot stand on their own and must be attached to an independent clause.

Read the examples given below.
I always take a bath before I go to bed.
Will you wait here until I am ready?
I was not at home when he came to see me.
Do not disturb me when I am busy with my work.
As soon as she finished that project, she started working on the next.
After I have finished my work, I will accompany you to the park.

Notes
An adverb clause of time can come before or after the main clause. When it comes before the main clause, we usually separate it with a comma. Commas are not necessary when the adverb clause goes after the main clause.
Whenever I think of her, my eyes get misty.
My eyes get misty whenever I think of her.

Verbal Tense
If you are talking about something that is yet to happen in the future, use a present tense in the adverb clause and a future tense in the main clause.
I will start when I am ready. (NOT I will start when I will be ready.)
I will not go until I get my money back. (NOT I will not go until I will get my money back.)

Just For Fun

Tag Questions

Auxiliary Verb To Do