The 1777 Flag Resolution specified thirteen stars for the United States flag.
The Continental Congress adopted the resolution on June 14, 1777. It described a flag with thirteen alternating red and white stripes and thirteen white stars on a blue field, representing the thirteen states.
The resolution did not specify the stars’ arrangement. Early flags therefore used different layouts, including circles, rows, and other patterns. The familiar five-pointed stars became standard over time.
The number of stars later increased as new states joined the Union. The modern flag has fifty stars, but the original revolutionary design had thirteen, matching the number of stripes.