真相與想像之間：論美國貝茜羅斯故居的歷史保存

貝茜羅斯故居（Betsy Ross House），是美國屋史保存史上一個頗具爭議的案例。她親手縫製美國第一面國旗的事蹟，僅來自家族傳說，但卻在19世紀的教科書、出版品，國旗聚會中，逐漸神聖化，引發了200萬人參與的保存行動。由於她的傳說缺乏記載，庭史學界向來抱持著質疑的態度，引發了史料文獻與口述歷史之爭。本文試圖釐清故事的細節，找尋至今仍未能推翻其傳說的原因；並透過相關的學術理論，探討貝茜羅斯故居的意義。

關鍵字

歷史保存；貝茜羅斯；口述歷史；美國；華盛頓；國旗；古蹟

並列摘要

In the history of American historic preservation, the Betsy Ross House is a controversial case. The story that Ross made the first American flag came from family traditions. However, her house was transformed into a national shrine by the influence of textbooks, publications and flag rallies. Veneration for the flag stimulated the Betsy Ross House preservation campaign that over two million people contributed.Lacking documents to support her legend, historians tried to dismiss it and made arguments between the power of oral transmission and written resources. The author tries to review the details which construct Ross's story and find out the reasons why her legend still extends today and the meaning of the Betsy Ross House.

並列關鍵字

Historic Preservation ； Betsy Ross ； Oral History ； America ； Washington ； Flag ； Historic Site

參考文獻

“Affidavit of Margaret Donaldson Boggs, Daughter of Sarah Donaldson, Who Was a Sister of Elizabeth Claypoole (Betsy Ross) , June 3, 1870” (BRH)

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“Affidavit of Rachel Fletcher, Daughter of Elizabeth Claypoole (Betsy Ross) , July 31, 1871” (BRH)

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“Affidavit of Sophia B. Hildebrant, Daughter of Clarissa S. Wilson and Granddaughter of Elizabeth Claypoole (Betsy Ross) , May 27, 1870” (BRH)

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(Arnold Tubis, Crystal E. Mills, “Two Conundrums Concerning the Betsy Ross Five-Pointed Star: the Provenance of the Pattern-for-stars Artifact and the Surprising Incompleteness of Fold and One-Cut Descriptions for Making the Star” (BRH)).