The original U.S. flag adopted by Congress in 1777 had 13 stars.
The Flag Resolution of June 14, 1777, established a design with 13 alternating red and white stripes and 13 white stars on a blue field. The thirteen stars represented the thirteen states that had declared independence from Great Britain and formed the new union.
The resolution said the stars should form a new constellation, but it did not specify the stars' exact arrangement or the flag's precise proportions. Early flags therefore displayed the stars in different patterns, including circles, rows, and other arrangements.
The flag later gained additional stars as new states joined the Union. Stripes were temporarily added as well, but the Flag Act of 1818 returned the design to 13 stripes and established that only new stars would be added for future states. The current flag has 50 stars, while the original revolutionary design had 13.