The current United States flag has 13 stripes, representing the 13 colonies that declared independence from Great Britain.
The stripes alternate red and white, while the blue canton contains stars representing the states. The Continental Congress established the basic national flag design through the Flag Resolution of June 14, 1777. That resolution specified 13 stripes and 13 white stars on a blue field.
The number of stripes changed briefly as new states joined the Union. In 1795, Congress authorized a 15-star, 15-stripe flag for Vermont and Kentucky. The Flag Act of 1818 restored the number of stripes to 13 while requiring a new star for each new state.
The modern flag combines the original 13 stripes with 50 stars. The stars represent the 50 states, and the current 50-star design became official on July 4, 1960, after Hawaii joined the Union.