The Flag of The United States
The flag of the United States, also known as the Stars and Stripes, Old Glory, or the Star-Spangled Banner, consists of thirteen horizontal stripes of equal size, alternating red and white, starting and ending with red. In the canton, on a blue field, are fifty white stars representing the fifty states of the union. The stripes symbolize the original Thirteen Colonies that declared independence from Britain, and the stars represent the states that are part of the union.
History
The history of the United States flag dates back to June 14, 1777, when the Continental Congress passed a resolution establishing an official flag for the new nation, stating, 'That the flag of the thirteen United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.' Since then, the flag has undergone several changes, primarily to the stars in the canton. Each star added represented a new state joining the union. The current design, with fifty stars, was adopted on July 4, 1960, after Hawaii became the 50th state in 1959. The U.S. flag has been a symbol of freedom, democracy, and the history of the American nation throughout its existence, playing a significant role in American culture, patriotism, and governmental ceremonies.