For America250, the original stars and stripes flag represented 13 states.
The Continental Congress adopted the first national flag design on June 14, 1777. Its resolution called for 13 alternating red and white stripes and 13 white stars on a blue field, representing the thirteen states united in the new nation. The stars were arranged in a circle in many early versions, although the 1777 resolution did not specify a particular arrangement.
The flag’s design changed as new states joined the Union. Congress added stars and, at first, additional stripes. In 1818, lawmakers fixed the design at 13 stripes and required a star for each state, preventing the flag from becoming crowded with stripes.
The 13 stripes remain a permanent reminder of the original states, while the current flag has 50 stars. The Betsy Ross story is widely associated with the flag, but historians have found no conclusive evidence that Ross designed the first flag. The congressional resolution, rather than a single confirmed designer, is the firm historical foundation.