The Second Continental Congress adopted the first national flag of the United States on June 14, 1777.
The Flag Resolution stated that the flag would have thirteen alternating red and white stripes and thirteen white stars on a blue field, representing a new constellation. The resolution did not specify the exact arrangement of the stars, and the familiar rows seen on later flags developed over time.
The thirteen stripes continued to represent the original colonies, while additional stars were added as new states entered the Union. The flag reached its current 50-star form in 1960 after Hawaii became a state.
June 14 is observed as Flag Day in the United States. It is separate from Independence Day on July 4 and from the 1776 date of the Declaration’s adoption, although all three dates belong to the country’s founding-era story.