Evolution of the United States Flag

No one knows with absolute certainty who designed the first stars and stripes or who made it. Congressman Francis Hopkinson seems most likely to have designed it, and few historians believe Betsy Ross, a Philadelphia seamstress, made the first one.

Until the Executive Order of June 24, 1912, neither the order of the stars nor the proportions of the flag was prescribed. Consequently, flags dating before this period sometimes show unusual arrangements of the stars and odd proportions, these features being left to the discretion of the flag maker. In general, however, straight rows of stars and proportions similar to those later adopted officially were used. The principle acts affecting the flag of the United States are as follows:

On 14 June 1777, in order to establish an official flag for the new nation, the Continental Congress passed the first Flag Act; "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."

Act of 13 January 1794 - provided for 15 stripes and 15 stars after May 1795.

Act of 04 April 1818 - provided for 13 stripes and one star for each state, to be added to the flag on the 4th of July following the admission of each new state, signed by President Monroe.

Executive Order of President Taft dated 24 June 1912 - established proportions of the flag and provided for the arrangement of the stars in size horizontal rows of eight each, a single point of each star to be upward.

Executive Order of President Eisenhower dated 21 August 1959 - provided for the arrangement of the stars in nine rows of stars staggered horizontally and eleven rows of stars staggered vertically.