Betsy Ross's Secret

by Dennis Randall

Back in 1776, George Washington wanted the states to be represented on a new American flag by six-pointed stars resembling the Star of David. Betsy Ross, however, recommended a five-pointed star. The committee in charge of the final flag design thought Betsy's stars would be too difficult to make, but she proved them wrong. She won over the committee when she folded a piece of paper and, with a single snip of her scissors, produced the perfect five- pointed star we use today.

 Use this step-by-step guide to master Betsy's "secret" of creating a five-pointed star with a single sissor snip!

Step 1
Take an 8 1/2'' x 11'' sheet of THIN paper and trim 1" off the long side to create a single sheet 8 1/2'' x 10''.

Step 2
Fold your 8 1/2" x 10" piece of paper in half to create a folded sheet 8 1/2'' x 5''.

Step 3
Take your FOLDED 8 1/2'' x 5'' sheet. Fold and unfold your sheet in half several times to create well-creased center lines.

Step 4
Bring left corner (L) right to meet the center line. Note: Make sure you're folding from the vertical crease line down to the horizotional crease line.

Step 5
Bring corner (L) left until the edges match exactly and fold them together.

Step 6
Bring corner (R) left and repeat the process as shown in the illustration.

Step 7
Bring corner (R) right until the edges match exactly and fold them together.

Step 8
With a sharp pair of scissors, cut your folded sheet on an angle as shown in the illustration. Whew! Your're almost done.

Step 9
Now, unfold the small piece to see your five-pointed star. Your star should be perfect, but don't worry if it's not. You might need to try this a few times before you finish with a flawless star. We have the feeling Betsy Ross practiced this a few times before she showed it off to George and his friends.

Bonus Tip: If you repeat steps 1-6 and add just one more fold, you'll end up with a perfect nine-pointed star (ideal for Christmas trees and other holiday decorations).

For more July Fourth fun, try your luck with these other quizzes:

Good Luck!