The modern United States flag has 13 stripes, representing the original Thirteen Colonies.
The Continental Congress adopted the first national flag design on June 14, 1777. Its resolution called for 13 alternating red and white stripes and 13 white stars on a blue field. The stars represented a “new constellation,” while the stripes linked the flag to the colonies that declared independence in 1776.
The number of stars later increased as new states joined the Union. Congress temporarily increased the number of stripes to 15 in 1794 after Vermont and Kentucky became states, but that design was not retained. The Flag Act of 1818 restored 13 stripes and established the modern rule that stars would be added for new states while the stripe count stayed fixed.
The 50-star flag therefore combines 13 stripes with 50 stars. The stripes do not represent the current number of states, and the 13-star arrangement on the original flag should not be confused with the circle of stars later associated with popular Betsy Ross traditions.