The Continental Congress adopted the first official U.S. flag design on June 14, 1777.
The Flag Resolution specified 13 alternating red and white stripes and 13 white stars on a blue field. The stars represented a “new constellation,” while the stripes represented the thirteen United States that had declared independence.
The resolution did not prescribe a precise arrangement for the stars, so early flags varied. The familiar circular arrangement associated with the Betsy Ross story is not documented as her work; historians generally regard that story as unsubstantiated. Congress later changed the design as new states joined the Union.