English Original
True or false? Betsy Ross sewed the first American flag?
Would you be surprised to know both answers could be right? Many historians say yes; others say no. Let's examine the facts about this remarkable woman from the Revolutionary era.
Elizabeth "Betsy" Griscom was born on January 1, 1752, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, into a Quaker family. Quakers are a religious group known for their simple, peaceful lifestyle. As the eighth of seventeen children, Betsy naturally learned to sew—a vital skill in the 1700s when households made most items by hand.
She excelled at sewing in school and later worked in an upholsterer's shop, where she met and married John Ross in 1773. Together, they opened their own upholstery business. During the American Revolution, despite her Quaker pacifist beliefs, Betsy aided soldiers by providing food and nursing the wounded.
Tragically, her husband John died after guarding an ammunition storehouse that exploded. Betsy continued running the shop as a widow.
At the war's start, Americans fought under the Grand Union Flag, which included a British symbol. As the conflict progressed, General George Washington sought a new, purely American flag. Legend holds that Washington visited Betsy's shop and asked her to sew the first flag based on his design of thirteen stripes and stars.
According to family lore, Betsy suggested practical improvements: using five-pointed stars (easier to sew and more fabric-efficient) and a rectangular shape (more visible from afar). With Washington's approval, she reportedly created the flag.
While definitive proof is elusive, evidence supports the story. Washington did visit her shop, and on June 14, 1777, Congress passed a flag resolution matching the description of Betsy's alleged creation: "...thirteen stripes alternate red and white... thirteen stars in a blue field..."
Betsy became renowned for her flag-making during the war. She remarried twice, had five daughters (all taught to sew), and worked until age 75 when failing eyesight forced her retirement. She often recounted the first-flag story to her family.
She died in 1836 at age 84. In 1870, her grandson William J. Canby presented her story to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, likely based on her own account. Betsy Ross is buried in Philadelphia; her house is a historic site marked by a perpetually flying U.S. flag.
Now, considering the facts, what do you think? Did Betsy Ross sew the first American flag?
中文翻译
对还是错？贝琪·罗斯缝制了第一面美国国旗？
如果告诉你两个答案都可能正确，你会感到惊讶吗？许多历史学家说是；另一些则说不是。让我们来审视一下这位独立战争时期杰出女性的相关事实。
伊丽莎白·“贝琪”·格里斯科姆于1752年1月1日出生在宾夕法尼亚州费城的一个贵格会家庭。贵格会是一个以简单、和平生活方式著称的宗教团体。作为十七个孩子中的第八个，贝琪自然而然地学会了缝纫——在18世纪，当家庭所需物品大多靠手工制作时，这是一项至关重要的技能。
她在学校时就擅长缝纫，后来在一家室内装饰店工作，并于1773年在那里遇见并嫁给了约翰·罗斯。他们一起开了自己的室内装饰店。美国独立战争期间，尽管贝琪持有贵格会的和平主义信仰，她仍通过提供食物和护理伤员来帮助士兵。
不幸的是，她的丈夫约翰在守卫一个爆炸的弹药库后去世。贝琪作为寡妇继续经营着店铺。
战争初期，美国人在“大联合旗”下作战，这面旗帜包含英国标志。随着战争推进，乔治·华盛顿将军希望有一面全新的、纯粹美国的旗帜。传说华盛顿曾拜访贝琪的店铺，请她根据他设计的十三道条纹和星星图案缝制第一面国旗。
根据家族传说，贝琪提出了一些实用的改进建议：使用五角星（更容易缝制且更省布料）以及长方形旗面（从远处看更清晰）。据说在华盛顿的许可下，她制作了这面旗帜。
虽然确凿证据难以寻觅，但一些线索支持这个故事。华盛顿确实拜访过她的店铺，而且1777年6月14日，国会通过了一项旗帜决议，其描述与据称是贝琪制作的旗帜相符：“……十三道红白相间的条纹……蓝色背景上的十三颗星……”
战争期间，贝琪因其制作的精美旗帜而闻名。她再婚两次，育有五个女儿（都教授了缝纫），并一直工作到75岁因视力衰退而退休。她经常向家人讲述制作第一面国旗的故事。
她于1836年去世，享年84岁。1870年，她的孙子威廉·J·坎比向宾夕法尼亚历史学会讲述了她的故事，这很可能源自她本人的口述。贝琪·罗斯安葬在费城；她的故居是一处历史遗址，上方始终飘扬着一面美国国旗。
现在，考虑到这些事实，你怎么看？贝琪·罗斯缝制了第一面美国国旗吗？