What was the first official national flag authorized by the Continental Congress?

The first official national flag authorized by the Continental Congress was the Stars and Stripes.

Congress passed the Flag Act of 1777 on June 14, 1777. It specified thirteen alternating red and white stripes and thirteen white stars on a blue field, representing the thirteen states. The resolution did not prescribe the stars’ arrangement, so early versions varied in layout. The familiar design with fifty stars developed much later as new states joined the Union.

The Grand Union Flag, used by American forces before June 1777, is often confused with the first national flag. It had thirteen stripes but retained the British Union Jack in its canton. The Betsy Ross story, which credits a Philadelphia upholsterer with creating the first flag, became popular in the nineteenth century but lacks conclusive contemporary evidence. The flag’s official congressional origin is the reliable historical milestone. Flag Day, observed on June 14, commemorates the 1777 resolution and is especially relevant during the America250 year.