by James Harvey

Created on: April 01, 2009   Last Updated: March 19, 2012

The Pledge of Allegiance, part of  America's national anthem, is considered to be an integral part of it's culture. Most Americans can recite it by heart. There are feelings about the American National Anthem that runs very deep in the hearts of most citizens of this nation. Certain groups and individuals-religious and non-religious-have run into trouble for refusing to cite it, turning the Pledge of Allegiance into one of the most controversial issues of the 20th Century and early 21st Century.

How was the idea of the Pledge of Allegiance conceived, and how did it become a major issue in modern times?

Interestingly, the Pledge of Allegiance was devised by a professed religious person, namely Francis Bellamy, a Baptist minister and a "Christian Socialist". It was introduced for the first time in the September 8, 1892 issue of the magazine The Youth's Companion to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus' purported discovery of America.

Originally The Pledge was supposed to be brief, lasting just 15 seconds, which simply stated " I pledge allegiance to my flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation indivisible, with liberty and justice for all". He had originally considered using the words equality and fraternity, but decided those words would be too controversial, since it wasn't really true that America was a fraternity or brotherhood or equal, since some of its own citizens, namely African Americans and women were being treated as second-class citizens and non-citizens, particularly in the case of the first-mentioned group.

The recitation consisted originally of lifting one's right hand to the flag and repeating The Pledge. Years later, during the outbreak of World War II in 1939, the gesture was changed to placing one's right hand over their heart so as not to be confused with the Nazi's salute to Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Swastika.

The Pledge was used in the public schools for the first time more than a month later, on October 12, 1892, after a proclamation made by President Benjamin Harrison, during the observance of Columbus Day, which happened to be called  the World Exposition, which was also known as the Columbian World Exposition, in commemoration of the previously-mentioned historical event,  held in Chicago, Illinois. . Bellamy thought this would be an ideal time to promote the new anthem and the involvement of children as an example in national solidarity.

By 1923 the opening words   "My flag" 

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