United States .us

Meaning of the Flag

The national flag of the United States, often referred to as the American flag or the U.S. flag, consists of thirteen horizontal stripes, alternating red and white, with a blue rectangle in the canton bearing fifty small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows, where rows of six stars alternate with rows of five stars. states united, while the 13 stripes represent the thirteen colonies that won independence from Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War. At the time of the Declaration of Independence in July 1776, there were no flags with any stars on them; the Continental Congress did not adopt flags with "stars, white in a blue field" for another year. While scholars still argue about this, tradition holds that the new flag was first hoisted in June 1777 by the Continental Army at the Middlebrook encampment.

Meaning of Flag Colors

Red, Blue, White

Flag History

1. 1776–1777
   

   flag is its 27th; the design of the flag has been modified officially 26 times since 1777.
2. 1959
   The 48-star flag was in effect for 47 years until the 49-star version became official on July 4, 1959.
3. 1777–1795
   

   flag is its 27th; the design of the flag has been modified officially 26 times since 1777.
4. 1818–1819
   

   Flag in use 1818–1819.
5. 1819–1820
   

   Flag in use 1819–1820.
6. 1820–1822
   

   Flag in use 1820–1822.
7. 1822–1836
   

   Flag in use 1822–1836.
8. 1837–1845
   

   Flag in use 1837–1845.
9. 1846–1847
   

   Flag in use 1846–1847.
10. 1847–1848
    

    In the Civil War, the flag was allowed to be carried into battle, reversing the 1847 regulation which prohibited this.
11. 1795–1818
    

    === Later flag acts === In 1795, the number of stars and stripes was increased from 13 to 15 (to reflect the entry of Vermont and Kentucky as states of the Union).
12. 1912–1959
    

    For the case of states admitted in 1912, a joint Army-Navy board submitted recommendations to the President on designs of a new flag, who eventually made the final choice; in that instance the War Department admitted to having received some 150 designs in 1912 from the public for consideration.
13. 1960–present
    

    Current national flag, in use since 1960.

Location