Early in America, horizontal stripes on the American flag became the accepted practice for use over military posts, while vertical stripes were used over civilian establishments and the homes of civilians.

The Civil flag was designed in 1799 by Oliver Wolcott Jr. the Secretary of the Treasury under John Adams. Wolcott’s proposal featured: An ensign, consisting of sixteen alternating red and white stripes representing the number of states that had joined the Union by 1799; and the Union, represented by the small rectangle in the upper left corner, with its Arms (an Eagle) of the United States in dark blue on a white field.

Today the civilian flag is largely lost to history, but remains a symbol to patriots and liberty lovers alike as a symbol that every man and woman is sovereign, having inalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

This version is our reproduction of the classic civil flag of Peace that is available in all sizes and on many different paper types and framing options.