What do the 13 stripes on the United States flag represent?

The 13 stripes on the United States flag represent the original 13 colonies.

The stripes alternate red and white, a design retained even as the nation expanded from 13 states to 50. The stripes honor the colonies that declared independence from Great Britain and formed the United States.

The Continental Congress specified 13 stripes in the Flag Resolution of June 14, 1777. That resolution also called for 13 white stars on a blue field, describing them as representing a “new constellation.” The resolution did not prescribe a particular arrangement for the stars.

The flag briefly had 15 stripes after Vermont and Kentucky joined the Union in 1791 and 1792. Congress restored the number to 13 in 1818 while continuing to add stars for new states. Thus, the stripes represent the original colonies, while the stars represent the states. The commonly repeated claim that Betsy Ross personally designed the first flag is not supported by contemporary documentary evidence.