美 国 国 歌
The Star Spangled Banner

"The Star Spangled Banner" 于 1814年 由 Francis Scott Key 作曲，Woodrow Wilson总统于 1916 年下令于军中场合演奏，于 1931 年由国会立法通过成为国歌。

国歌共包括四节，绝大多数场合只唱第一节。

Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof thru the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
　

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
　

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more!
Their blood has washed out of of their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave'
From the terror of flight and the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
　

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
　

U.S. Flag Facts

How many stars and stripes are on the flag?

There are 50 stars representing the 50 states and there are 13 stripes representing the 13 original states.

Flag: thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing 50 small white five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and bottom) alternating with rows of five stars; the 50 stars represent the 50 states, the 13 stripes represent the 13 original colonies; known as Old Glory; the design and colors have been the basis for a number of other flags including Chile, Liberia, Malaysia, and Puerto Rico
　

When are new stars added to the flag?

A new star is added to the flag on the July 4th following the entry into the Union of the new state.

What are the specifications for the colors of the flag?

In the Pantone system the colors are: Blue PMS 282 and Red PMS 193.

Who made the first flag and when?

Betsy Ross, made the first flag. Information on Betsy Ross, the history of the flag and on flag etiquette may be found at the Betsy Ross Home Page (http://www.libertynet.org/iha/betsy) maintained by the Independence Hall Association of Philadelphia.

美国国徽

    国徽是一个国家的主要象征之一。只有特定的国家重要文件才能盖上国徽大印，正式生效。

    美国国徽的图案是：外围为两个同心圆，内有一只美国秃鹰雄踞中央，双翼展开，右爪握一束橄榄枝，左爪握13支利箭，尖嘴中叼着一条飘带，上书“合众为一”。秃鹰的胸前是一枚盾形纹章，纹章上部是蓝色横纹，下部是红白相间的竖纹，象征美国国旗。秃鹰的上方是蓝色天空中13颗星，四周光芒万道，环绕着云朵组成的图案。

    国徽上的图案均有其象征意义。美国秃鹰象征着至高无上的统治权；橄榄枝和箭象征决定和平与战争的权力；秃鹰上方的群星图案象征着拥有主权的新生共和国。

    美国国徽上的中心图象就是美国秃鹰，它的正式名称是白头海雕，是美国的国鸟。今天，美国秃鹰已成了美国的象征，它不仅出现在国徽上，也出现在美国其他旗帜及硬币上。

    秃鹰是产于美国及加拿大的一种巨鹰。外貌美丽，性情凶猛，有“百鸟之王”之称。其实秃鹰头部有丰满的羽毛，并非光秃。秃鹰幼时全身披黑色羽毛，长成后头颈部羽毛变白色，老时尾部也相继变白。

    秃鹰虽是美国的象征，但在美国大部分地区却已濒临绝种。近年来经竭力抢救，才稳步恢复繁殖。估计1970年美国本土48州只有秃鹰约1000只，现已达5000只左右，而且数量还在增长。另外两个州中的阿拉斯加州的秃鹰一直较多，约有3万只；夏威夷州则根本没有秃鹰。

    目前，国徽保存在美国国会中。美国宪法对于国徽在何时使用、用在何种文件上均有明确的规定。