Oct 2014 Final Web

The Pledge of Allegiance of the United States is an expression of fealty to the Flag of the
United States and the republic of the United States of America, originally composed by
Francis Bellamy in 1892 and formally adopted by Congress as the pledge in 1942. The official
name of The Pledge of Allegiance was adopted in 1945. The last change in language
came on Flag Day 1954 when the words “under God” were added.
Official versions
(changes in bold italics)
“I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the republic for which it stands, one nation indivisible,
with liberty and justice for all.”
1892 to 1922
“I pledge allegiance to my Flag and to the republic for which it stands: one nation indivisible,
with liberty and justice for all.”
1923
“I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States and to the republic for which it stands;
one Nation indivisible with liberty and justice for all.”
1924 to 1954
“I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for
which it stands; one Nation indivisible with liberty and justice for all.”
1954 to present
“I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for
which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
The Pledge of Allegiance was written in August 1892 by Francis Bellamy (1855–1931),
who was a Baptist minister, a founding member of Boston’s first nationalist club, and the
cousin of socialist utopian novelist Edward Bellamy (1850–1898).
Swearing of the Pledge is accompanied by a salute. An early version of the salute, adopted
in 1892, was known as the Bellamy salute. The pledge was begun with the right hand over
the heart, and after reciting “to the Flag,” the arm was extended toward the Flag, palmdown.
Because of the similarity between the Bellamy salute and the Nazi salute, developed
later, the United States Congress instituted the hand-over-the-heart gesture as the salute
to be rendered by civilians during the Pledge of Allegiance and the national anthem in the
United States, instead of the Bellamy salute.
The phrase “under god” was added to the Pledge in 1954 by President Eisenhower, he said,
after adding these words, “In this way we are reaffirming the transcendence of religious
faith in America’s heritage and future; in this way we shall constantly strengthen those spiritual
weapons which forever will be country’s most powerful resource in peace and war.”
Source - Wikipedia