The modern United States flag has 13 stripes representing the original thirteen colonies.
The stripes alternate red and white across the flag’s field. They recall the British colonies that declared independence and formed the United States during the American Revolution. The symbolism was formally stated in the Flag Resolution adopted by the Continental Congress on June 14, 1777.
The flag’s stars have a different meaning: each star represents one current state. That distinction explains why the flag has 13 stripes but 50 stars. Congress briefly changed the number of stripes to 15 in 1795 after Vermont and Kentucky joined the Union.
The Flag Act of 1818 restored 13 stripes permanently while establishing that new states would be represented by additional stars. The current 50-star design began on July 4, 1960, after Hawaii became the fiftieth state.