The Continental Congress adopted the first official description of the United States flag on June 14, 1777.
The Flag Resolution specified 13 alternating red and white stripes and 13 white stars on a blue field. Congress described the stars as representing “a new constellation,” linking the design to the thirteen United States that had declared independence.
The resolution did not specify how the stars should be arranged, so early flags varied. The familiar circle of stars is commonly associated with the Betsy Ross flag, but historians have found no contemporary proof that Ross designed the national flag.
June 14 is now observed annually in the United States as Flag Day. The flag later changed as new states joined the Union: stars were added, while the number of stripes was eventually fixed at 13 to represent the original states.