Services: Flag History

In May of 1776, Betsy Ross reported that she sewed the first American flag.

On June 14, 1777 the Continental Congress passed America’s first Flag Act in order to establish an official flag for our new nation. "Resolved, That the flag of the United States be made of thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation." Since this act was put into place.

Between 1777 and 1960, Congress passed several acts that changed the shape, design and arrangement of the flag and allowed for additional stars and stripes to be added to reflect the admission of each new state.

The flag has gone through 26 changes since the new union of 13 states first adopted it.

The most recent change, from forty-nine stars to fifty, occurred in 1960, after Hawaii gained statehood.

Today the flag consists of thirteen horizontal stripes, seven red alternating with 6 white. The stripes represent the original 13 colonies, the stars represent the 50 states of the Union. The colors of the flag are symbolic as well: Red symbolizes Hardiness and Valor, White symbolizes Purity and Innocence and Blue represents Vigilance, Perseverance and Justice.