|
I pledge
allegiance to the Flag
of the United States of America,
and to the Republic for which it stands:
one Nation under God, indivisible,
With Liberty and Justice for all.
| I Pledge Allegiance |
I Promise to
be faithful and true (Promise my loyalty) |
| to the flag |
to the emblem
that stands for and represents |
| of the United States |
all 50 states,
each of them individual, and individually represented on
the flag |
| of America |
yet formed
into a UNION of one Nation. |
| and to the Republic |
And I also
pledge my loyalty to the Government that is itself a
Republic, a form of government where the PEOPLE are
sovereign, |
| for which it stands, |
this
government also being represented by the Flag to which I
promise loyalty. |
| one Nation under God, |
These 50
individual states are united as a single Republic under
the Divine providence of God, "our most powerful
resource" (according to the words of President
Eisenhower) |
| Indivisible, |
and can not be
separated. (This part of the original version of the
pledge was written just 30 years after the beginning of
the Civil War and demonstrates the unity sought in the
years after that divisive period in our history) |
| with Liberty |
The people of
this Nation being afforded the freedom to pursue "life,
liberty, and happiness", |
| and Justice |
And each
person entitled to be treated justly, fairly, and
according to proper law and principle, |
| for All. |
And these
principles afforded to EVERY AMERICAN, regardless of
race, religion, color, creed, or any other criteria.
Just as the flag represents 50 individual states that
can not be divided or separated, this Nation represents
millions of people who can not be separated or divided. |
On September 8, 1892 a Boston-based
youth magazine
"The Youth's Companion" published a
22-word recitation
for school children to use during planned
activities the following month to commemorate
the 400th anniversary of Columbus' discovery of America.
Under the title
"The Pledge to the Flag",
the composition was the earliest
version of what we now know as the
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. |
