Best Little List! 15+ Distressed American Flag SVGs

There is something about these distressed American flag SVGs that really appeals to me on a personal level, especially this year.

Do you remember the lyrics to “The Star Spangled Banner”? Part of it goes like this: “And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.”

Francis Scott Key wrote this during the war of 1812, when he was captive aboard a ship at the battle of Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland. Being a quasi-prisoner of war on a ship far out in the bay, he likely had no idea how the battle was going. Were the fledgling Americans winning? Were they losing? The only clue he had was whose flag was waving atop the fort. (For more information about the battle, here’s a great summary by the Smithsonian.)

This is a really poignant scene for me. I feel like our lives are a constant series of battles, whether personal, political, physical or otherwise. Sometimes while we’re in the midst of it, we can’t really tell who is winning and who is losing. But just sometimes we can see a glimpse of hope, that flag waving in a brief burst of light.

I like to imagine that waving flag. Key describes it in beautiful, poetic terms, but I’ll bet that the flag was not pristine by the end of that battle. I envision it battered, torn, and smoke-stained, but still whole. And we’re like that, too. While we’re in the thick of it, it can be hard to tell if our flag is still there. Then, when we come out of it at the end, we are greeted by a still-flying flag. Maybe a little limp, maybe a bit scorched, but still there.

I like the distressed flags. Sure, it’s aesthetically pleasing, but it’s also a great representation of the resilience of our country and ourselves. Maybe this comparison will help you to appreciate the symbolism just a little more, too.

Before you go, make sure to check out even more styles of flags: Heart Flag SVGs, and Sunflower Flag SVGs!

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