The Continental Congress adopted the first official U.S. flag resolution on June 14, 1777.
The resolution specified thirteen alternating red and white stripes and thirteen white stars on a blue field. It described the stars as representing “a new constellation,” linking the design to the thirteen states that had declared independence.
The resolution did not specify the exact arrangement, shape, or orientation of the stars. As a result, early flag makers produced several designs, including rows, circles, and other arrangements. The familiar Betsy Ross flag with thirteen stars in a circle is associated with this era, but historians have found no conclusive evidence that Ross designed the first official flag.
June 14 is now observed in the United States as Flag Day. The date is sometimes confused with July 4, 1776, the adoption date of the Declaration of Independence, or September 14, 1814, when Francis Scott Key saw the flag over Fort McHenry.