The modern flag of the United States has 13 horizontal stripes.
The stripes alternate red and white and represent the thirteen colonies that declared independence from Great Britain. The blue canton contains stars representing the states in the Union; unlike the stripes, the number of stars has changed as states joined the country.
The Continental Congress adopted the Flag Resolution on June 14, 1777. It specified thirteen alternating red and white stripes and thirteen white stars on a blue field. June 14 is now observed annually as Flag Day in the United States.
The current flag has 50 stars, reflecting the 50 states, but it retains 13 stripes because the number refers to the original colonies rather than the present number of states. The flag’s design has evolved, and no single designer can be conclusively credited with creating the national flag.