The American flag is one of the most widely recognized symbols in the world. Its design—thirteen alternating red and white stripes paired with a blue canton of white stars—has evolved over centuries. While most people instantly recognize the banner, fewer know the exact origin of why the flag features seven red stripes and six white stripes, or what those specific choices signified to the nation's founders.
Understanding the true background of the flag requires looking past modern myths and examining actual historical records. The red and white pattern wasn't chosen by accident or plucked from thin air. It grew out of early colonial banners, naval traditions, and the legislative resolutions of the Continental Congress during the Revolutionary War.
Origins of the 13 Stripes
The first official flag of the United States was established by the Continental Congress on June 14, 1777. The resolution stated that the flag of the United States should consist of thirteen stripes, alternating red and white, and that the union be thirteen white stars on a blue field representing a new constellation.
Before this 1777 Flag Resolution, various colonial regiments and militias flew their own distinct banners. Many drew inspiration from the Sons of Liberty flag, which featured alternating red and white vertical stripes.
- The Grand Union Flag: Flown by George Washington's Continental Army in late 1775, this banner featured thirteen red and white stripes alongside the British Grand Union jack in the corner. It signaled that the colonies were united in resistance while still acknowledging British roots before the formal Declaration of Independence.
- Naval Traditions: Maritime flags of the era frequently used horizontal stripes for high visibility at sea. British and European merchant fleets utilized striped designs, making the layout familiar to colonial sailors and shipbuilders.
What Do the Red and White Stripes Represent?
Popular culture often attributes specific, poetic meanings to the colors of the flag, but official government documentation from the early days of the republic is surprisingly sparse regarding a deep allegorical breakdown.
According to Charles Thomson, the Secretary of the Continental Congress who presented the final design seal and symbolism to lawmakers, the colors carry distinct civic virtues. Though his notes primarily addressed the Great Seal, subsequent presidential proclamations and historical consensus applied these same definitions to the flag:
- White: Signifies purity, innocence, and high ideals.
- Red: Signifies hardiness, valor, resilience, and blood shed in defense of liberty.
The alternating nature of the stripes also had a mathematical and visual purpose. Thirteen stripes represented the original thirteen colonies that declared independence from Great Britain: New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.
The Betsy Ross Legend vs. Historical Reality
A persistent piece of American folklore credits an upholsterer named Betsy Ross with designing the first flag in Philadelphia in 1776. According to the family legend popularized by her grandson in the 1870s, George Washington and a committee visited Ross to commission a flag featuring six-pointed stars, which she supposedly changed to five-pointed stars.
Historians have found little contemporary documentation to support the Betsy Ross story. The primary evidence comes from affidavits sworn by her descendants decades after the event. Instead, congressional records point toward Francis Hopkinson, a New Jersey delegate to the Continental Congress and a signer of the Declaration of Independence, as the primary designer who contributed significantly to early naval and national flags. Hopkinson even petitioned the Board of Admiralty for financial compensation for his design work.
How the Flag Changed After 13 Colonies
The original 1777 resolution assumed the flag would grow as the nation expanded. For decades, whenever new states joined the Union, both a stripe and a star were added.
- The 15-Stripe Flag (1795–1818): Following the admission of Vermont and Kentucky, Congress passed an act adding two stripes and two stars, resulting in the famous 15-star, 15-stripe flag that inspired Francis Scott Key to write The Star-Spangled Banner during the War of 1812.
- The Flag Act of 1818: Lawmakers quickly realized that adding a new stripe for every single state would eventually make the flag too wide to display properly. Congress passed a new law returning the flag to thirteen stripes to honor the original colonies, while specifying that a new star would be added to the blue field for each incoming state on the Fourth of July following its admission.
Common Misconceptions About the US Flag
A few persistent myths surround the construction, display, and history of the American flag.
- The meaning of vertical stripe orientation: Some observers believe hanging a flag vertically changes its symbolic meaning. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the union (the blue field of stars) should always be to the observer's upper left regardless of whether the flag is flown horizontally or vertically.
- Flags on the moon: A popular urban legend claims the American flags planted during the Apollo missions bleached white due to unfiltered solar radiation. NASA telemetry and modern lunar reconnaissance imagery confirm the flags are still standing, though decades of intense ultraviolet light have likely bleached them stark white.
- Burning as disrespect: Many assume that burning a flag is always desecration. Under the federal Flag Code and Library of Congress guidelines, when a flag is worn, faded, or torn beyond repair, burning it in a dignified, private ceremony is actually the preferred and most respectful method of retirement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are there seven red stripes and six white stripes?
The thirteen stripes represent the original thirteen colonies. Because the pattern starts with a red stripe at the top and ends with a red stripe at the bottom, there are seven red stripes and six white stripes.
Did George Washington design the American flag?
No. George Washington helped oversee the transition of the military's banners and served on committees during the Revolution, but historians attribute the primary design work to congressional delegate Francis Hopkinson.
Can the American flag be flown at night?
Yes, but only if it is properly illuminated. According to the official Federal Flag Code, the flag should be displayed from sunrise to sunset on stationary flagpoles, unless an all-weather flag is illuminated throughout the hours of darkness.
What happens if an American flag touches the ground?
While it's a common old wives' tale that a flag must be immediately burned if it touches the floor or ground, the Flag Code simply states that the flag should not touch anything beneath it. If it becomes dirty, it can be gently cleaned or washed.
