So, as you prepare to fill your home with patriotic decorations for holidays like Memorial Day, the 4th of July, and Flag Day itself, you might want to get acquainted with the history behind the grand old flag. In fact, there are so many interesting American flag facts that you should read up on! There's just something about the beautiful sight of an American flag flowing in the wind that feels so bold! From the red, white, and blue color pallet to the bright stars and stripes, the flag is a staple of American representation! But do you know how many stars and stripes are actually on the American flag? Despite being an iconic symbol of the country, many people don't know the answer to this question-or the reason why. The modern American Flag is officially complete, with five rows of alternating five and six stars staggered for visual appeal.'Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links.'

There are now 48 stars on the flag.ġ949 – Flag Day, to be observed on June 14th, is established.ġ959-1960 – Alaska and Hawaii are added to the Union and the final two stars are added to the flag. Three more stars are added for Arizona, New Mexico and Oklahoma (that was included as a state in 1908). Also outlawed was the creation of flags that could be mistaken as the official American Flag.ġ912 – The specific measurements, orientation, and details of the flag are officially established in a presidential executive order. Among the specifics of the statutes were marking the flag, trampling the flag or talking negatively about the flag. There are now thirty seven stars on the American Flag.ġ877-1896 – Seven more stars are added for Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Washington, Idaho, Wyoming, and Utah.ġ897 – State Flag Desecration Statutes begin to be adopted in states around the country to outlaw altering or abusing the flag for commercial and political purposes. The 23 stars are now arranged with one row of five with one row of six on top and two rows of six below.ġ822-1867 – Fourteen more stars are added to the flag with the inclusion of Missouri, Arkansas, Michigan, Florida, Texas, Iowa, Wisconsin, California, Minnesota, Oregon, Kansas, West Virginia, Nevada and Nebraska. The 21 stars are now arranged with one row of four with one row of five on top and two rows of five below.ġ820 – Two more stars are added with the inclusion of Alabama and Maine. The stars are now arranged in four rows of five across.ġ819 – The flag is updated at the end of the year when Illinois is added into the Union. It is officially adopted in 1931 as the national anthem.ġ818 – The official flag is modified and updated to showcase five additional stars on the blue field in honor of Tennessee, Ohio, Louisiana, Mississippi and Indiana receiving state status. The green pine tree shape was used on board New England ships with the phrase “An Appeal to Heaven,” while the flag for New England featured the Liberty tree in the upper left corner set bordered by red, white and blue stripes.ġ814 – Inspired by the majesty of the flag and its visual impact during the War of 1812, Francis Scott Key pens a tune he titles “The Star-Spangled Banner.” The song’s patriotic message earns it national recognition. In New England, the “Liberty Tree” symbol becomes increasingly popular and appears on several flags.

The Continental Navy starts to fly a flag with a red striped background featuring a snake, along with the inscription “Don’t Tread on Me.” This sentiment and symbol will later be associated with the United States Marine Corps.

Some early designs of the flag would be unrecognizable to most modern Americans, and some even featured the British Union Jack.īrush up on the fascinating story of our beloved Star-Spangled Banner and how she became the shining beacon of hope that she is today with in the following guide to the different American flags through history!ġ775 – As revolutionary fever starts to swelter, several iterations of a flag representing the independence and discontent of the colonists begin to surface. The History of the American Flag: A TimelineĮvery heart beats true for the red, white, and blue – but does every heart know the interesting United States flag history? While the modern American flag has become a symbol around the world for freedom, justice, and prosperity, it has actually changed sixty three times over the past two hundred and thirty five years.

American flag with no red stripes