Pledge of Allegiance
noun
a solemn oath of allegiance or fidelity to the U.S., beginning, “I pledge allegiance to the flag,” and forming part of many flag-saluting ceremonies in the U.S.
Cultural definitions for pledge of allegiance
Pledge of Allegiance
Also called the “Pledge to the Flag.” The American patriotic vow, which is often recited at formal government ceremonies, including Independence Day ceremonies for new citizens: “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.”
notes for Pledge of Allegiance
The
phrase
under God, added in 1954 (more than sixty years after the pledge was originally published), has inspired heated debate over the
separation of church and state.