The Continental Congress adopted the first official U.S. star-and-stripe design on June 14, 1777.
The Flag Resolution specified 13 alternating red and white stripes and 13 white stars on a blue field. The stars represented a “new constellation,” while the stripes represented the thirteen United States.
The resolution came nearly a year after the Declaration of Independence. In July 1776, the Americans had no official flag bearing stars; the Continental Union Flag still included the British Union in its canton.
June 14 is now observed as Flag Day in the United States. The design changed as new states joined the Union, adding stars, but Congress kept 13 stripes to honor the original colonies. The modern flag has 50 stars and 13 stripes.