A “first-rate” biography of the seamstress and patriot and a vivid portrait of life in Revolutionary-era Philadelphia: “Authoritative and engrossing” (Publishers Weekly, starred review). Finalist, Cundill Prize in History Betsy Ross and the Making of America is the first comprehensively researched and elegantly written biography of one of America’s most captivating figures of the Revolutionary War. Drawing on new sources and bringing a fresh, keen eye to the fabled creation of “the first flag,” Marla R. Miller thoroughly reconstructs the life behind the legend. This authoritative work provides a close look at the famous seamstress while shedding new light on the lives of the artisan families who peopled the young nation and crafted its tools, ships, and homes. Betsy Ross occupies a sacred place in the American consciousness, and Miller’s winning narrative finally does her justice. This history of the ordinary craftspeople of the Revolutionary War and their most famous representative “reinvigorate[es] a timeworn American icon by placing her firmly into historical and social context [and] illuminates the significant role that ordinary citizens—especially women—played in the birth of the new nation” (Booklist). “An engaging biography.” —The New York Times Book Review “Fascinating.” —Cokie Roberts, New York Times–bestselling author of Founding Mothers “A stupendous literary achievement. It’s not easy to accurately write about a real folk legend. Miller does so with historical accuracy, vivid descriptive language, and an encyclopedic knowledge of her subject.” —Douglas Brinkley, New York Times–bestselling author of The Wilderness Warrior

Level 2 Ready-To-Read Reading Independently More complex stories Varied sentence structure Paragraphs and short chapters Betsy Ross wants to prove to her brother that she can do whatever he can -- but she ends up proving something to herself instead.

Rip, rip, stitch. Piece by piece, Betsy Ross creates the first American flag. This Level E book is perfect for early readers. Simple, rhythmic text describes the creation of the flag--thirteen stripes and thirteen five-pointed stars. Easy enough for the earliest readers, this is a fun look at a beloved story. With clever rhymes and charming art, Betsy Ross is a celebration of American history and craft work. Illustrator Megan Lloyd followed Betsy's example--ripping and dyeing and stitching to create cozy fabric scenes portraying the creation of this historic symbol. Hand-dyed fabric and careful embroidery makes this unique take on Old Glory stand out. The award-winning I Like to Read® series focuses on guided reading levels A through G, based upon Fountas and Pinnell standards. Acclaimed author-illustrators--including winners of Caldecott, Theodor Seuss Geisel, and Coretta Scott King honors—create original, high quality illustrations that support comprehension of simple text and are fun for kids to read with parents, teachers, or on their own! Level E stories feature a distinct beginning, middle, and end, with kid-friendly illustrations offering clues for more challenging sentences. Varied punctuation and simple contractions may be included. Level E books are suitable for early first graders. When Level E is mastered, follow up with Level F.

The personal struggles of the woman generally credited with having created the first American flag are set against the backdrop of the colonists' fight for independence.

Flag: An American Biography is a vivid narrative that uncovers little-known facts and sheds new light on the more than 200-year history of the American flag. The thirteen-stripe, fifty-star flag is as familiar an American icon as any that has existed in the nation's history. Yet the history of the flag, especially its origins, is cloaked in myth and misinformation. Flag: An American Biography rectifies that situation by presenting a lively, comprehensive, illuminating look at the history of the American flag from its beginnings to today. Journalist and historian Marc Leepson uncovers scores of little-known, fascinating facts as he traces the evolution of the American flag from the colonial period to the twenty-first century. Flag sifts through the historical evidence to--among many other things--uncover the truth behind the Betsy Ross myth and to discover the true designer of the Stars and Stripes. It details the many colorful and influential Americans who shaped the history of the flag. "Flag," as the novelist Nelson DeMille says in his preface, "is not a book with an agenda or a subjective point of view. It is an objective history of the American flag, well researched, well presented, easy to read and understand, and very informative and entertaining." "Our love for the flag may be incomprehensible to others, but at least we now have a comprehensive guide to its unfolding."--The Wall Street Journal

Describes the character-shaping events in the childhood of Betsy Ross that led up to her making the first American flag.

Describes the life of Betsy Ross and recounts the legend of how she sewed the first American flag.

A groundbreaking history of the American Revolution that “vividly recounts Colonial women’s struggles for independence—for their nation and, sometimes, for themselves.... [Her] lively book reclaims a vital part of our political legacy" (Los Angeles Times Book Review). The American Revolution was a home-front war that brought scarcity, bloodshed, and danger into the life of every American. In this book, Carol Berkin shows us how women played a vital role throughout the conflict. The women of the Revolution were most active at home, organizing boycotts of British goods, raising funds for the fledgling nation, and managing the family business while struggling to maintain a modicum of normalcy as husbands, brothers and fathers died. Yet Berkin also reveals that it was not just the men who fought on the front lines, as in the story of Margaret Corbin, who was crippled for life when she took her husband’s place beside a cannon at Fort Monmouth. This incisive and comprehensive history illuminates a fascinating and unknown side of the struggle for American independence.

Criticizes the way history is presented in current textbooks, and suggests a more accurate approach to teaching American history.

Born the eighth of seventeen children in Philadelphia, Betsy Ross lived in a time when the American colonies were yearning for independence from British rule. Ross worked as a seamstress and was eager to contribute to the cause, making tents and repairing uniforms when the colonies declared war. By 1779 she was filling cartridges for the Continental Army. Did she sew the first flag? That’s up for debate, but Who Was Betsy Ross? tells the story of a fierce patriot who certainly helped create the flag of a new nation.