For America’s 250th anniversary, the current 50-star flag of the United States was adopted in 1960.
The design became official after Hawaii joined the Union as the 50th state. President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued Executive Order 10834 on August 21, 1959, establishing the 50-star pattern, but the design took effect on July 4, 1960. It replaced the brief 49-star flag created after Alaska became a state in January 1959.
The current flag has 50 white stars on a blue field and 13 alternating red and white stripes. The stars represent the states, while the stripes commemorate the 13 original colonies. The stars are arranged in nine rows that alternate between six and five stars.
The year 1959 is an easy source of confusion because Hawaii became a state that year and the executive order establishing the design was also issued in 1959. However, the 50-star flag was first officially flown on Independence Day in 1960. It remains the longest-used version of the U.S. flag.