How many stars and stripes did the U.S. flag have when it inspired “The Star-Spangled Banner” in 1814?

The U.S. flag had 15 stars and 15 stripes when it inspired “The Star-Spangled Banner” in 1814.

The flag flew over Fort McHenry during the Battle of Baltimore in the War of 1812. It was a very large garrison flag made in Baltimore by Mary Young Pickersgill and workers in her home. Francis Scott Key saw it after the British bombardment and drew inspiration from its survival at dawn.

The 15-star, 15-stripe design reflected the admission of Vermont and Kentucky to the Union. Congress had increased both numbers in 1795, but later recognized that adding a stripe for every new state would make the flag increasingly unwieldy. The Flag Act of 1818 returned the stripe count to thirteen while continuing the practice of adding stars for new states.

The surviving flag is commonly called the Star-Spangled Banner and is preserved at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. It is distinct from the later national anthem, although the flag and the song share the same name.