Five people were arrested ahead of Philadelphia’s July Fourth celebration after protesters attempted to set an American flag on fire, according to police. A small group of protesters gathered outside Washington Square around 6 p.

The flag is the quintessential emblem of the United States. But as the country marks its founding, the flag also has become politicized to a degree unseen in decades.

The massive American flag on NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building is a patriotic icon, but its 1976 bicentennial origin story remains a mystery to some.

At Valley Forge Flag Co., outside Charleston, S.C. — one of a handful of large-scale American flag manufacturers — workers transform red, white and blue thread into a symbol recognized around the world.

As America turns 250 this year, the American flag has become more than just a symbol of the country. Some see it as a totem of freedom, power and patriotism. Others see it as an emblem of politics and far-right ideology.

This company has crafted the American flag for most major moments since the Civil War. For those who stitch the Stars and Stripes, its meaning is personal.

A new ad calls James Talarico an "America-laster" for calling the American flag a "complicated symbol" ahead of the Independence Day holiday.

For almost as long as Old Glory has flown over the nation, its stars and stripes have influenced American style