What flag did the Continental Army use before the Stars and Stripes?

The Continental Army used the Grand Union Flag before the Stars and Stripes became the recognized national flag. It combined thirteen red-and-white stripes with the British Union Jack in the canton.

The flag was raised at Washington’s headquarters near Boston on January 1, 1776, during the siege of Boston. At that time, the colonies were still formally part of the British Empire, so the Union Jack reflected their unresolved political status. The thirteen stripes represented the thirteen colonies in rebellion.

The Continental Congress adopted the flag now known as the Stars and Stripes on June 14, 1777. Its design replaced the Union Jack with a blue field bearing white stars, signaling a more distinct national identity.

The Grand Union Flag is sometimes called the Continental Colors. It is often confused with later Revolutionary flags, including the Betsy Ross flag and the Gadsden flag. There is no reliable historical evidence that Betsy Ross designed the first Stars and Stripes, although the story became popular in the nineteenth century.