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| Names | The Stars and Stripes, Old Glory |
| Use | National flag and ensign.  |
| Proportion | 10:19 |
| Adopted | June 14, 1777 (13-star version) July 4, 1960 (50-star version) |
| Design | Thirteen horizontal stripes alternating red and white; in the canton, 50 white stars on a blue field |
| Designed by | Various |
  Union Jack. Used as naval jack, 1960–2002. |
 Current naval jack, known as the First Navy Jack. |
The flag of the United States of America consists of 13 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white, with a blue rectangle in the canton bearing 50 small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and bottom) alternating with rows of five stars. The creator of the U.S. Flag is popularly considered to be Betsy Ross. The 50 stars on the flag represent the 50 U.S. states and the 13 stripes represent the original Thirteen Colonies that rebelled against the British crown and became the first states in the Union.States are represented collectively; there is no meaning to particular stars nor stripes. Nicknames for the flag include the Stars and Stripes, Old Glory,Coined by Captain William Driver, a nineteenth century shipmaster. and the Star-Spangled Banner (also the name of the country\'s official national anthem).
Because of its symbolism, the starred blue canton is called the "union". This part of the national flag can stand alone as a maritime flag called the Union JackNo relation to the Union Flag of the United Kingdom to which this term more commonly refers. which served as the U.S. jack on warships from 1777 until 2002. It continues to be used as a jack by various federally-owned vessels, including those of the Coast Guard, Military Sealift Command, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
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The United States flag is one of the nation\'s widely recognized and used symbols. Within the U.S. it is frequently displayed, not only on public buildings, but on private residences, as well as iconically in forms such as decals for car windows, and clothing ornaments such as badges and lapel pins. Throughout the world it is used in public discourse to refer to the U.S., both as a nation state, government, and set of policies, but also as an ideology and set of ideas.
Many understand the flag to represent the freedoms and rights guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution and its Bill of Rights and perhaps most of all to be a symbol of individual and personal liberty as set forth in the Declaration of Independence. The flag is a complex and contentious symbol, around which emotions run high.
In terms of the symbolism of the design itself, a book about the flag published by the Congress in 1977 states: "The star is a symbol of the heavens and the divine goal to which man has aspired from time immemorial; the stripe is symbolic of the rays of light emanating from the sun."What do the colors of the Flag mean?. USFlag.org: A website dedicated to the Flag of the United States of America. Retrieved on June 14, 2005. George Washington is credited for saying: "We take the stars from Heaven, the red from our mother country, separating it by white stripes, thus showing that we have separated from her, and the white stripes shall go down to posterity representing Liberty."The United States Flag - Public and Intergovernmental Affairs. United States Department of Veterans Affairs. Retrieved on December 7, 2006.
Many people also take the red and white to stand for the blood of those who gave their lives for freedom, and the presumed purity of the freedom ideal, respectively.
The basic design of the flag is specified by with outlining the addition of new stars representing new states. The specification gives the following values:[citation needed]
Note that the flag ratio (B/A in the diagram) is not absolutely fixed. Although the diagram in Executive Order 10834 gives a ratio of 1.9, earlier in the order is a list of flag sizes authorized for executive agencies. This list permits eleven specific flag sizes (specified by height and width) for such agencies: 20.00 × 38.00; 10.00 × 19.00; 8.95 × 17.00; 7.00 × 11.00; 5.00 × 9.50; 4.33 × 5.50; 3.50 × 6.65; 3.00 × 4.00; 3.00 × 5.70; 2.37 × 4.50; and 1.32 × 2.50. Eight of these sizes conform to the 1.9 ratio, within a small rounding error (less than 0.01). However, three of the authorized sizes vary significantly: 1.57 (for 7.00 × 11.00), 1.27 (for 4.33 × 5.50) and 1.33 (for 3.00 × 4.00).
According to Flags of the World, the colors are specified by the General Services Administration "Federal Specification, Flag, National, United States of America and Flag, Union Jack," DDD-F-416E, dated November 27, 1981. It gives the colors by reference to "Standard Color Cards of America" maintained by The Color Association of the United States, Inc., as:
| Color | Cable color | PantoneThe Pantone color equivalents for Old Glory Blue and Red are listed on U.S. Flag Facts at the U.S. Embassy\'s London site. | Web ColorThe RGB color values are taken from the Pantone Color Finder at Pantone.com. | RGB Values |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dark Red | 70180 | 193 C | #BF0A30
| (191,10,48) |
| White | 70001 | Safe | #FFFFFF
| (255,255,255) |
| Navy Blue | 70075 | 281 C | #002868
| (0,40,104) |
According to the book "Our Flag," published by the House of Representatives, "The colors red, white, and blue did not have meanings for The Stars and Stripes when it was adopted in 1777." It goes on to say, on page 41 (page 47 of the PDF version)United States Government (1861). Our Flag (PDF), Washington DC: United States Government Printing Office. S. Doc 105-013. that the colors of the Great Seal of the United States, when it was adopted in 1782, were defined thus: "White signifies Purity and Innocence; Red, Hardiness and Valor; Blue signifies Vigilance, Perseverance and Justice."A Proclamation by the President: Flag Day and National Flag Week, 2001. The White House. Retrieved on December 7, 2006.
When Alaska and Hawaii were being considered for statehood, more than 1,500 designs were spontaneously submitted to President Dwight D. Eisenhower by Americans. Although some of them were 49-star versions, the vast majority were 50-star proposals. At least three, and probably more, of these designs were identical to the present design of the 50-star flag. These designs are in the Eisenhower Presidential Archives in Abilene, Kansas. Only a small fraction of them have ever been published.
One legend states the union of the current 50-star flag was designed by Robert G. Heft in 1958 while living with his grandparents in Ohio. He was 18 years old at the time and did the flag design as a class project. His mother was a seamstress, but refused to do any of the work for him. He originally received a B- for the project. After discussing the grade with his teacher, it was agreed (somewhat jokingly) that if the flag was accepted by Congress, the grade would be reconsidered. Heft\'s flag design was chosen and adopted by presidential proclamation after Alaska and before Hawaii was admitted into the union in 1959. He got an A. Robert G. Heft: Designer of America\'s Current National Flag. USFlag.org: A website dedicated to the Flag of the United States of America. Retrieved on December 7, 2006.
At the time, credit was given by the Executive Department to the U.S. Army Bureau of Heraldry for the design.
Traditionally, the flag may be decorated with golden fringe surrounding the perimeter of the flag itself as long as it does not deface the flag proper. Ceremonial displays of the flag, such as those in parades or on indoor posts, often utilize fringe to enhance the beauty of the flag. The first recorded use of fringe on a flag dates from 1835, and the Army used it officially in 1895. No specific law governs the legality of fringe, but a 1925 opinion of the attorney general addresses the use of fringe (and the number of stars)"...is at the discretion of the Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy...".(as quoted from footnote in previous volumns of Title 4 of the United States Code law books and is a source for claims that such a flag is a military ensign not civilian). The United States Army Institute of Heraldry, which has official custody of the flag designs, and makes any such change ordered, also confirms that there are no implications of symbolism in the use of fringe.Fringe on the American Flag. Retrieved on June 27, 2006.
The United States Flag Code outlines certain guidelines for the use, display, and disposal of the flag. For example, the flag should never be dipped to any person or thing, unless it is the ensign responding to a salute from a ship of a foreign nation. (This tradition comes from the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, where countries were asked to dip their flag to King Edward VII: the American team captain Martin Sheridan refused, famously proclaiming that "this flag dips to no earthly king."London Olympics 1908 & 1948). The flag should never be allowed to touch the ground and, if flown at night, must be illuminated. If the edges become tattered through wear, the flag should be repaired or replaced.[citation needed] When a flag is so tattered that can no longer serve as a symbol of the United States, it should be destroyed in a dignified manner, preferably by burning. The American Legion and other organizations regularly conduct dignified flag-burning ceremonies, often on Flag Day, June 14
Although the Flag Code is U.S. Federal law, there is no penalty for failure to comply with the Flag Code and it is not widely enforced—indeed, punitive enforcement would conflict with the First Amendment right to freedom of speech. Passage of the proposed Flag Desecration Amendment would overrule legal precedent that has been established in this area.
Folding the U.S. flag
Though not part of the official Flag Code, according to military custom flags should be folded into a triangular shape when not in use. (The Philippines, a former American territory, also has this custom for folding its flag.) To properly fold the flag:
The flag is customarily flown year-round at most public buildings, and it is not unusual to find private houses flying full-size flags. Some private use is year-round, but becomes widespread on civic holidays like Memorial Day, Veterans Day, Presidents\' Day, Flag Day, and on Independence Day. On Memorial Day it is common to place small flags by war memorials and next to the graves of U.S. war veterans.
Astronaut Alan Shepard raises the United States Flag on the surface of the moon during the Apollo 14 mission.
By presidential proclamation, acts of Congress, and custom, American flags are displayed continuously at certain locations.
The flag should especially be displayed at full staff on the following days:
The US Flag is displayed at half staff as a sign of respect or mourning. Nationwide, this action is proclaimed by the president of the United States; state-wide or territory-wide, the proclamation is made by the governor. In addition, there is no prohibition against municipal governments, private businesses or citizens flying the flag at half staff as a local sign of respect and mourning. President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued the first proclamation on March 1, 1954 standardizing the dates and time periods for flying the flag at half staff from all federal buildings, grounds, and naval vessels; other congressional resolutions and presidential proclamations ensued. However, they are only guidelines to all other entities: typically followed at state and local government facilities, and encouraged of private businesses and citizens.
To properly fly the US flag at half staff, the protocol is to first hoist it briskly to full staff, then reverently (slowly) lower it to half-staff. Similarly, when the flag is to be lowered from half staff, it should be first hoisted briskly to full staff, then lowered reverently to the base of the flagpole.
Federal guidelines state the flag should be flown at half staff at the following dates/times:
The flag has been changed 26 times since the new, 13-state union adopted it. The 48-star version went unchanged for 47 years, the longest time the flag went unmodified until July 4, 2007, when the current 50-star flag broke the record.
Grand Union Flag ("Continental Colors"). |
Flag of the British East India Company, 1707–1801 |
At the time of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776, the United States had no official national flag. The Grand Union Flag has historically been referred to as the "First National Flag"; although it has never had any official status, it was used throughout the American Revolutionary War by George Washington and formed the basis for the design of the first official US flag.
This flag is properly considered the de facto first naval ensign of the United States. It was first raised aboard Continental Navy Commodore Esek Hopkins\' flagship Alfred on the Delaware River on December 3, 1775,Leepson, Marc. (2005). Flag: An American Biography. New York: St. Martin\'s Press. p. 16. possibly (according to his claim) by the ship\'s senior lieutenant John Paul Jones.
The origins of the design are unclear. It closely resembles the British East India Company (BEIC) flag of the same era, and an argument dating to Sir Charles Fawcett in 1937 holds that the BEIC flag indeed inspired the design.The STRIPED FLAG of the EAST INDIA COMPANY, and its CONNEXION with the AMERICAN "STARS and STRIPES" at Flags of the World However, the BEIC flag could have from 9 to 13 stripes, and was not allowed to be flown outside the Indian Ocean.East India Company (United Kingdom) at Flags of the World Both flags could have been easily constructed by adding white stripes to a British Red Ensign, a common flag throughout Britain and its colonies.
Coat of arms of George Washington.
Another theory holds that the red-and-white stripe—and later, stars-and-stripes—motif of the flag may have been based[citation needed] on the Washington family coat-of-arms, which consisted of a shield "argent, two bars gules, above, three mullets gules" (a white shield with two red bars below three red stars).
More likely it was based on a flag of the Sons of Liberty, one of which consisted of 13 red and white alternating horizontal stripes.
13-star "Betsy Ross" flag |
On June 14, 1777, the Second Continental Congress passed the Flag Resolution which stated: "Resolved, That the flag of the United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation." Flag Day is now observed on June 14 of each year. A false tradition holds that the new flag was first hoisted in June of 1777 by the Continental Army at the Middlebrook encampment.Guenter (1990)
The Flag Resolution did not specify any particular arrangement for the stars. The pictured flag shows the thirteen stars arranged in a circle, the so-called Betsy Ross flag. Although the Betsy Ross legend is not taken seriously by many historians, the design itself is the oldest version of any US flag to appear on any physical relic[citation needed], since it is historically referenced in contemporary battlefield paintings by John Trumbull and Charles Willson Peale, which depict the circular star arrangement. Popular designs at the time were varied and most were individually crafted rather than mass-produced. Other examples of 13-star arrangements can be found on the Francis Hopkinson flag, the Cowpens flag, and the Brandywine flag. Given the scant archaeological and written evidence, it is unknown which design was the most popular at that time.
The origin of the stars and stripes design is uncertain. A popular story credits Betsy Ross for sewing the first flag from a pencil sketch by George Washington who personally commissioned her for the job. However, no evidence for this theory exists beyond Ross\' descendants\' much later recollections of what she told her family. Another woman, Rebecca Young, has also been credited as having made the first flag by later generations of her family. Rebecca Young\'s daughter was Mary Pickersgill, who made the Star Spangled Banner Flag. Another popular theory is that the flag was designed by Francis Hopkinson. Hopkinson was the only person to have made such a claim during his own lifetime, when he sent a bill to Congress for his work. He asked for a "Quarter Cask of the Public Wine" as payment initially. The payment was not made, however, because it was determined he had already received a salary as a member of Congress, and he was not the only person to have contributed to the design. It should be noted that no one else contested his claim at the time.
15-star, 15-stripe "Star-Spangled Banner" flag |
48-star flag, is the second longest in use (1912–1959). |
In 1795, the number of stars and stripes was increased from 13 to 15 (to reflect the entry of Vermont and Kentucky as states of the union). For a time the flag was not changed when subsequent states were admitted, probably because it was thought that this would cause too much clutter. It was the 15-star, 15-stripe flag that inspired Francis Scott Key to write "The Star-Spangled Banner," now the national anthem.
On April 4, 1818, a plan was passed by Congress at the suggestion of U.S. Naval Captain Samuel C. ReidUnited States Government (1861). Our Flag (PDF), Washington DC: United States Government Printing Office. S. Doc 105-013. in which the flag was changed to have 20 stars, with a new star to be added when each new state was admitted, but the number of stripes would remain at thirteen to honor the original colonies. The act specified that new flag designs should become official on the first July 4 (Independence Day) following admission of one or more new states. The most recent change, from 49 stars to 50, occurred in 1960 when the present design was chosen, after Hawaii gained statehood in August 1959. Before that, the admission of Alaska in January 1959 prompted the debut of a short-lived 49-star flag.
As of July 4, 2007, the 50-star flag has become the longest rendition in use.
The Netherlands was the first country to salute the Grand Union flag, when gun salutes by American ships were returned by officials on Dutch islands in the West Indies in late 1776: on St. Croix in October, and on St. Eustatius in November. (Though later, the better documented St. Eustatius incident involving the USS Andrew Doria is traditionally regarded as the "first salute".) France was the first country to salute the Stars and Stripes, when a fleet off the French mainland returned a gun salute by Captain John Paul Jones commanding the USS Ranger on February 14, 1778. [2]
In the following table depicting the 28 various designs of the United States flag, the star patterns for the flags are merely the usual patterns, often associated with the United States Navy. Canton designs, prior to the proclamation of the 48-star flag by President William Howard Taft on 29 October 1912, had no official arrangement of the stars. Furthermore, the exact colors of the flag were not standardized until 1934(For alternate versions of the flag of the United States, see the Stars of the U.S. Flag page at the Flags of the World website.)
 Proposed 51-star flag design |
The United States Army Institute of Heraldry has plans for flags with up to 56 stars, using a similar staggered star arrangement should additional states accede. There are political movements supporting statehood in Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia.
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A number of non-standard flags appeared in the early years of American independence. One example is the design approximated here, of a flag traditionally believed to have been carried by the American troops at the Battle of Guilford Court House in 1781. This is disputed by some other historians who think it dates to the nineteenth century. The original flag is at the North Carolina Historical Museum.
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The flag of Liberia bears a close resemblance, showing the ex–American-slave origin of the country. The Liberian flag has similar red and white stripes, though only 11 of them, as well as a blue square for the union, but with only a single large white star.
The flag of Malaysia also has a striking resemblance, with red and white stripes (14 total), and a blue canton, but displaying instead of stars a star and crescent emblem. This might be due, however, to the great influence of the British East India Company, rather than the later United States flag
The flag of Hawaii, in use since it was a kingdom in the 19th century, with eight stripes in red, white, and blue, and the British Union Jack in the canton, has some resemblance to the U.S. Grand Union Flag of the 18th century.
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| Flag of Chile |
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| Flag of Texas |
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| Flag of Cuba |
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| Flag of Puerto Rico |
The flags of Chile and of Texas have similar simplified designs, each with a single red and white stripe, and a "lone star" in the canton.
Though more dissimilar in appearance, the flag of Cuba was also inspired by the flag of the United States. Its origins date from 1849, when Cuban liberation movements emerged among Cuban exiles in the U.S.Cuba at Flags of the World
Also flag design tied to that of the U.S. flag is the flag of Puerto Rico. There are specific shades of red and blue for the construction of the flag, however there might be slight variations depending on the flag-flyer\'s political beliefs. The pro-independence groups use sky blue, while the pro-statehood groups use a darker shade of blue more similar to that of the U.S. flag. The official version uses an intermediate shade, so as not to take sides.
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