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"The Continental Navy" Made in America Shirt
"The Continental Navy" Made in America Shirt
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Our latest original design in our collection for the 250th recognizes the birth of the Continental Navy and its founding on October 13, 1775, 250 years ago this year.
On the front:
- The Serapis Flag and the date October 13, 1775
On the back:
- "The Continental Navy of the Thirteen United States"
- The dates October 13, 1775 - August 1, 1785 — these dates represent the official lifespan of the Continental Navy
- Three flags, our nation's first flag, the Grand Union Flag, Washington's Headquarters Flag, and the Appeal to Heaven Flag
- A list of major battles where the Continental Navy engaged
- Illustration of USS Bonhomme Richard, famous for its fight with HMS Serapis
- John Paul Jones, known as the “Father of the American Navy" and John Barry who is considered a founder of the Continental Navy.
The shirt:
-
100% cotton Made in the USA shirt in Navy — Knitted, dyed, and sewn in America and screen printed in New England. 4.4 oz. In S - 5XL. See size chart.
Also available:
- Long-sleeved shirt — Made in America
- Women's v-neck shirt
- Crewneck sweatshirt
- Hooded sweatshirt
- Sticker
Historical background on the Continental Navy and on the Serapis Flag
The Library of Congress has the 500+ page book, The Navy of the American Revolution; its Administration, its Policy, and its Achievements, by Charles Oscar Paullin published in 1906 available to read online or download as a PDF.
Historical background on the Serapis Flag
Here is the contemporary pic, made by Dutch authorities at Texel within a day or so of John Paul Jones arriving in the port (Serapis is the lower one).
Ben Franklin and others had been telling various European courts that the flag of the United States was red, white, and blue stripes, with a small square in upper corner with thirteen white stars on blue.
The irregular arrangement of the stripes is probably accurate--the flag was made in a hurry.
The stars may well have been eight-pointed as depicted, but would definitely have points and sharp inner angles, not a scalloped circle or two squares superimposed as sometimes portrayed in later and modern drawings. The flag may have been a little more rectangular than portrayed here, but the union would still be square, not stretched out in proportion.
On the other hand, the artist clearly shows the flag of Alliance long enough to fold back on itself, whereas the Serapis is more nearly square.
The Serapis Flag remains one of the most distinctive early U.S. naval flags, symbolizing both the improvisation and determination of the young Continental Navy.
Our thanks to Steven Hill, author of "Battle Flags of the Wars for North America, 1754–1783: Foreign Armies and Regiments," for providing the historical background. Signed copies of his book are available here.
Design © 2025 Larry Stuart Studio.
Shipping
Shipping
Free standard domestic shipping on orders of $75 or more
Just add items to your cart totaling $75 or more (before tax and after discounts), and the shipping fee will be removed. No discount code needed.
This applies to most items, including shirts, caps, sweatshirts, unframed prints and posters, bracelets, lapel pins, pendants, blankets, and other qualifying items.
For orders below $75
Flat-rate shipping: Regardless of the number of items you order, the shipping price for shirts, caps, unframed prints and posters, bracelets, lapel pins, pendants, and button packs is $5.95.
For hooded and crewneck sweatshirts, mugs, and blankets, the shipping cost is $8.95.
Our flat rate shipping means you can add two or more t-shirts, sweatshirts, or caps for no additional shipping charge.
Learn more about shipping here.
All original designs are copyrighted by The History List
All original designs are copyrighted by The History List
All designs are copyrighted by The History List and the History Nerd text and design on t-shirts is a registered trademark. If you see a knock off, please let me know.
Made by America
Made by America
Almost all of the new products we offer are designed by us and made in America and most of our Rare Finds were made in America.
Our original designs are based on our nation’s history and our love of American history. Read more about other things we've created, including The History List, History Camp, and The Pursuit of History, in addition to The History List Store.
All original designs are copyrighted by The History List.
Every product that is made in America states that in the product description and includes the "Made in U.S.A." graphic. There are a relatively small number of items where we’ve not been able to find a manufacturing partner here in the States, but we continue to look.
Our nation’s history—Our original designs
