"This Star-Spangled Banner and all its successors have come to embody our country, what we think of as America. It may not be quite the same for every one of us who looks at it, but in the end we all pretty much come out where the framers did. We know that we have a country founded on the then revolutionary idea that all of us are created equal, and equally entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." --Pres. William Jefferson Clinton, speaking before the Star-Spangled Banner at the National Museum of American History, July 13, 1998.  Back to top  Flag Design The U.S. flag has over time incorporated various designs, among them, stars, stripes, a pine tree, and a rattlesnake.  Flag as Patriotic Symbol Key's song, "The Star-Spangled Banner," changed the way Americans looked at their flag.  The U.S. Flag Code State and federal regulations set forth the protocols for handling and displaying the U.S. flag.