America250’s look at U.S. symbols includes the current American flag, which has 50 stars.
The stars represent the 50 states in the Union, while the flag’s 13 alternating stripes represent the original thirteen colonies. The blue rectangle containing the stars is called the canton.
The 50-star design became official on July 4, 1960, after Hawaii joined the Union in August 1959. Alaska had briefly produced a 49-star flag earlier in 1959.
A common mix-up is assuming the stars represent the original colonies. The colonies are represented by the stripes; the stars have represented the states since the first official star flag was adopted in 1777.