The Continental Congress adopted the first United States flag with 13 stars and 13 stripes on June 14, 1777.
The Flag Resolution declared that the flag should have thirteen alternating red and white stripes and thirteen white stars on a blue field. The stars represented a new constellation, while the stripes represented the original states formed from the former colonies.
The resolution did not specify the exact arrangement of the stars, so early flags varied. The familiar modern design developed over time as new states joined the Union. Congress later reduced the number of stripes to thirteen while continuing to add stars for new states.
The current flag has 50 stars and 13 stripes. Its 50-star design became official on July 4, 1960, after Hawaii joined the United States. June 14 is now observed annually in the United States as Flag Day.