Which 1777 congressional resolution established the basic design of the United States flag?

The Flag Resolution established the basic design of the United States flag in 1777.

The Second Continental Congress adopted the resolution on June 14, 1777. It called for 13 alternating red and white stripes and a blue field with 13 white stars, symbolizing the original states. The resolution is the foundation of the national flag’s design.

The wording was brief and left some details unsettled. It did not specify how the stars should be arranged or give precise proportions for the flag. As a result, early American flags appeared in multiple patterns before later standards became more consistent.

June 14 is commemorated as Flag Day in the United States. The resolution is sometimes confused with the Lee Resolution, which concerned independence, or the Northwest Ordinance, which established a government for western territory. Those measures addressed different national questions during the Revolutionary era.