the Pledge of Allegiance

The Pledge of Allegiance of the United States is an expression of allegiance to the flag of the United States and the republic of the United States of America.

The United States of America, commonly referred to as the United States or America, is a federal republic composed of 50 states, a federal district, five major self-governing territories, and various possessions.

The flag of the United States of America, often referred to as the American flag, is the national flag of the United States.

Pledge of Allegiance: Watch a cartoon for kids on the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag by Educational Videos for Students (Cartoons on Bullying, Leadership & More)

It was originally composed by Captain George Thatcher Balch, a Union Army Officer during the Civil War and later a teacher of patriotism in New York City schools.

Preschool Pledge of Allegiance - LittleStoryBug by littlestorybug

The form of the pledge used today was largely devised by Francis Bellamy in 1892, and formally adopted by Congress as the pledge in 1942.

Francis Julius Bellamy was a Christian socialist minister and author, best known for writing the original version of the U.S. Pledge of Allegiance.

The official name of The Pledge of Allegiance was adopted in 1945.

The most recent alteration of its wording came on Flag Day in 1954, when the words "under God" were added.