Trivia 11-27-17 Flag

[Trivia Master]

When Lincoln was inaugurated in 1861, how many stars were on the U.S. flag? After he became president, when and why was the next star added?

credit: @chellers

 

[SWMODave]

Lincoln was inaugurated under the 33 star flag on March 4, 1861
Kansas having joined the Union 6 weeks prior, but wouldn't be officially added as the 34th star to the flag until July 4, 1861.
In 1863 West Virginia would join the Union and would become the 35th star on the flag

The 34 star flag would only fly under the Lincoln administration

Source
Source 2

 

[gentlemanrob]

When Lincoln became President there was 33 stars by the time of his death there were 35 stars because of the addition of Kansas and West Virginia. Nevada would be added after Lincoln'death in July

Edit - The question also asked when the next star was added.

hoosier

 

[captaindrew]

33, there was a star added in 1861 for Kansas = 34 and another added in 1863 for West Virginia = 35

 

[Brenal]

33 Stars. The next was added on 4th July 1861 to represent Kansas which had been admitted into the Union on 29th January 1861.

 

[ErnieMac]

When Lincoln was inaugurated (March 4, 1861) there were 34 stars on the flag. The 34th statate, Kansas had been admitted in January. The next admission was West Virginia which had been formed at the request of pro-Union legislators and residents of the western counties of Virginia who did not approve of Virginia's secession from the Union.

Edit - The question also asked when the next star was added.

hoosier

 

[Copperhead-mi]

On March 4, 1861, Lincoln's inauguration, there were 33 stars on the U.S. flag. The 34th star of the U.S. flag for the January 29, 1861 admission of Kansas would not be added until July 4, 1861. USflag.org -34 Star Flag.
On July 4, 1863 a star was added to the U.S. flag for West Virginia's June 23, 1863 admission to the Union. USflag.org - 35 Star Flag

 

[FarawayFriend]

Excellent question, I really learned something! And at first I had both parts of the question wrong, but found my mistakes upon double-checking!

1) How many stars were on the US flag when Lincoln was inaugurated? 33 stars.

"The official flag however consisted of 33 stars when Abraham Lincoln took office in 1861."

2) The 34th star was added on July 4th 1861 for the new state of Kansas.

"On July 4, 1861, a star was officially added to the flag for the new state of Kansas. The official version of the 34 star flag (top left) had a very basic star arrangement, but there were many very interesting variations to the 34 star flag developed during this time. Abraham Lincoln was the only President to hold office under a 34 star flag."

Sources:
http://www.americancivilwarstory.com/civil-war-flags.html

http://www.usflagdepot.com/store/page8.html

 

[sjw83071]

34 stars at time of 1861 inauguration.

Next star added was for West Virginia who seceded from Virginia and was admitted into the Union as the 35th state.

Edit - The question also asked when the next star was added.

hoosier

 

[BlueNGrey]

Lincoln was inaugurated March 4, 1861. Officially, there were 33 stars on the flag
Kansas was admitted to the Union January 29, 1861. However, It wasn't until July 4, 1861 that the 34 star flag became official. So the 34th star was added to represent the new state of Kansas.

It is interesting to note that on February 22, 1861, prior to his inauguration, but after his election, on Washington's birthday, Abraham Lincoln hoisted the 34 star flag at Independence Hall in Philadelphia.

For Which It Stands: An Anecdotal Biography of the American Flag
By Michael Corcoran

 

[kholland]

On January 29, 1861 Kansas was admitted to the Union thus increasing the number of states to 34, and mandating that the 34 flag would become official on 4 July 1861. Yet, on Washington's Birthday, 22 February 1861, less that a month after admission, a 34 star flag was hoisted by Abraham Lincoln when he stopped at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, on his way to Washington D.C. for his inaugaration.

http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/us-1861.html

So I am going with 33 and the next state after Kansas (34) was West Virginia (35) which was added in June of 1863.

Edit - Response revised in subsequent post.

hoosier

 

[DBF]

On Washington's Birthday while on his way to Washington in 1861, Lincoln stopped at Philadelphia to see a flag with 34 Stars to commemorate the recent (January 29, 1861) addition of Kansas to the Union. A 35th star was added when the pro-Union supporting side in the Confederate state of Virginia broke away to become West Virginia and became a state June 20, 1863 and was a star July 4, 1863 (according to 2nd reference).
http://www.gettysburgflag.com/blog/history-lessons/kansas-and-civil-war-arrive-together-in-u-s/
https://www.si.edu/spotlight/flag-day/flag-facts

 

[Jimklag]

When Lincoln was inaugurated in 1861, how many stars were on the U.S. flag? After he became president, when and why was the next star added?

credit: @chellers

On March 4, 1861, Inauguration day, there were 34 stars on the flag. In 1863, West Virginia "seceded" from Virginia and added the 35th star.

 

[Stony]

33
A star was added for the admission of Kansas (January 29th, 1861). Making it 34.
source-http://www.usflagdepot.com/store/page8.html

 

[TinCan]

1. 34 stars
2. 4 July 1863 with the admission of West Virginia that occurred on 20 June 1863.

 

[JOHN42768]

At Inauguration Thirty Three Star U.S. Flag, 1859 ~ 1861. When President Thirty Four Star U.S. Flag, 1861 ~ 1863 With the (January 29th, 1861) admission of Kansas. The star was added on July 4, 1861

 

[JOHN42768]

Just in case you wanted further during Lincoln's term. Additional 35th star was added for the admission of West Virginia (June 20th, 1863). Added on July 4th, 1863

 

[hughes]

33
July 1861 the Kansas star, which is differeent from the Kansas City Star, was added

 

[Wallyfish]

Lincoln was inaugurated on March 4, 1861 and the flag had 33 stars. On July 4 th 1861 the 34the star was added for the state of Kansas.

On July 4th 1863, the 35th star was added for the state of West Va. Question only asked for next star.


http://www.steve4u.com/usflag/main.htm


I thought of Sheldon's fun with flag web show on the Big Bang Theory as I was reading Steve's flag site.

 

[William G Hendry]

Lincoln inaugurated - Mar 04, 1861 - HISTORY.com

The 33-Star Flag

United States of America 1859-1861
The 33rd state to join the union was Oregon in 1859. This was our Flag for the next two years under Presidents James Buchanan (1857-1861) and Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865). At the outbreak of the Civil War (1861), President Lincoln refused to remove the stars representing those states which seceded from the Union.

The 34-Star Flag

United States of America 1861-1863
In the first 3 months of the war a star was added when Kansas joined the Union on July 4th 1861. It remained our Flag for the next two years. President Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865) was the only President to serve under this flag as the Civil War raged.