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History worth a closer look
Familiar moments. Details you may have missed.
October 13, 1775
Two armed vessels. One powerful opponent. The bold decision behind the birth of the U.S. Navy.
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September 22, 1862
How the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation changed the purpose of the Civil War.
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July 20, 1969
The ordinary nylon flag that became an extraordinary symbol.
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July 8, 1776
Before independence became a national celebration, someone had to read the words aloud.
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August 4, 1790
Why this distinctive flag has 16 stripes—and a mission all its own.
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June 6, 1944
The planning, people and enormous stakes behind the Normandy invasion.
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June 14, 1777
The 1777 resolution and the long campaign to give the American flag its own day.
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