Present and Past USA Flags
Current 50-star version of USA flag design was approved after Hawaii was admitted as 50th state of USA on August 21, 1959. Executive Order of President Eisenhower dated August 21, 1959 - provided for the arrangement of the stars in nine rows of stars staggered horizontally and eleven rows of stars staggered vertically. The flag was raised for the first time at 12:01 a.m. on July 4, 1960, at the Fort McHenry National Monument in Baltimore, Maryland.
| USA Flag | Flag Pics | World Flags |
Alaska became 49th state of USA on January 3, 1959. Executive Order of President Eisenhower dated January 3, 1959 - provided for the arrangement of the stars in seven rows of seven stars each, staggered horizontally and vertically.
| USA Flag | Flag Pics | World Flags |
In 1912 two states joined USA - New Mexico on January 6, 1912 and Arizona on February 14, 1912 - adding two stars for the 46-star USA flag. Executive Order of President Taft dated June 24, 1912 - established proportions of the flag and provided for arrangement of the stars in six horizontal rows of eight each, a single point of each star to be upward.
| USA Flag | Flag Pics | World Flags |
(July 4, 1908 – July 3, 1912)
Oklahoma became a state on November 16, 1907, which required adding a 46th star to the U.S. flag on the following July 4th.
| USA Flag | Flag Pics | World Flags |
(July 4, 1896 – July 3, 1908)
Utah joined the Union on January 4, 1896, which required adding a 45th star to the U.S. flag on the July 4th.
| USA Flag | Flag Pics | World Flags |
(July 4, 1891 – July 3, 1896)
Wyoming joined the Union on July 10, 1890, which required adding a 44th star to the U.S. flag on the following July 4th.
| USA Flag | Flag Pics | World Flags |
(July 4, 1890 – July 3, 1891)
Five states - North Dakota (November 2, 1889) South Dakota (November 2, 1889) Montana (November 8, 1889) Washington (November 11, 1889) and Idaho (July 3, 1890) - joined USA as states and 5 stars were added to the flag.
| USA Flag | Flag Pics | World Flags |
(July 4, 1877 – July 3, 1890)
Colorado joined Union on August 1, 1876. The 38-star flag had stars arranged in rows as well as circles. Until the Executive Order of June 24, 1912, neither the order of the stars nor the proportions of the flag was prescribed, so two popular designs were flown as official flags
| USA Flag | Flag Pics | World Flags |
(July 4, 1867 – July 3, 1877)
Nebraska joined the Union as a state on March 1, 1867 and one star was added to the flag on the July 4th. Stars were arranged in some flags in rows and circles in others.
| USA Flag | Flag Pics | World Flags |
(July 4, 1865 – July 3, 1867)
Nevada joined the Union on October 31, 1864, which required adding a 36th star to the U.S. flag on the following July 4th. Stars were arranged in some flags in rows and circles in others
| USA Flag | Flag Pics | World Flags |
(July 4, 1863 – July 3, 1865)
West Virginia joined the Union on June 20, 1863, which required adding a 35th star to the U.S. flag on the July 4th.
| USA Flag | Flag Pics | World Flags |
(July 4, 1861 – July 3, 1863)
Kansas joined the Union on January 29, 1861, which required adding a 34th star to the U.S. flag on the July 4th.
| USA Flag | Flag Pics | World Flags |
(July 4, 1859 – July 3, 1861)
Oregon joined the Union on February 14, 1859, which required adding a 33rd star to the U.S. flag on the July 4th. Stars were arranged in rows in some versions and as a star / diamond in others.
| USA Flag | Flag Pics | World Flags |
(July 4, 1858 – July 3, 1859)
Minnesota joined the Union on May 11, 1858, which required adding a 32nd star to the U.S. flag on the July 4th.
| USA Flag | Flag Pics | World Flags |
(July 4, 1851 – July 3, 1858)
California joined the Union as a state on September 9, 1850, which required adding a 31st star to the U.S. flag on the following July 4th.
| USA Flag | Flag Pics | World Flags |
(July 4, 1848 – July 3, 1851)
Wisconsin joined the Union as a state on May 29, 1848, which required adding a 30th star to the U.S. flag on the July 4th.
| USA Flag | Flag Pics | World Flags |
(July 4, 1847 – July 3, 1848)
Iowa joined the Union as a state on December 28, 1846, which required adding a 29th star to the U.S. flag on the following July 4th. Stars were arranged in various designs in various versions as there was no official mandate on the arrangement.
| USA Flag | Flag Pics | World Flags |
(July 4, 1846 – July 3, 1847)
Texas joined the Union as a state on December 29, 1845, which required adding a 28th star to the U.S. flag on the following July 4th.
| USA Flag | Flag Pics | World Flags |
(July 4, 1845 – July 3, 1846)
Florida joined the Union as a state on March 3, 1845, which required adding a 27th star to the U.S. flag on the July 4th.
| USA Flag | Flag Pics | World Flags |
(July 4, 1837 – July 3, 1845)
Michigan joined the Union as a state on Jan 26, 1837, which required adding a 26th star to the U.S. flag on the July 4th. Stars were arranged in various designs in various versions as there was no official mandate on the arrangement.
| USA Flag | Flag Pics | World Flags |
(July 4, 1836 – July 3, 1837)
Arkansas joined the Union as a state on June 15, 1836, which required adding a 25th star to the U.S. flag on the July 4th.
| USA Flag | Flag Pics | World Flags |
(uly 4, 1822 – July 3, 1836)
Missouri joined the Union as a state on August 10, 1821, which required adding a 24th star to the U.S. flag on the July 4th.
| USA Flag | Flag Pics | World Flags |
(July 4, 1820 – July 3, 1822)
Two states joined the Union as states - Alabama on December 14, 1819 and Maine on March 15, 1820 - which required adding a 22nd and 23rd stars to the U.S. flag on the July 4th.
| USA Flag | Flag Pics | World Flags |
(July 4, 1819 – July 3, 1820)
Illinois joined the Union as a state on December 3, 1818, which required adding a 21st star to the U.S. flag on the following July 4th.
| USA Flag | Flag Pics | World Flags |
(July 4, 1818 – July 3, 1819)
Five states joined the Union as states - Tennessee (June 1, 1796), Ohio (March 1, 1803), Louisiana (April 30, 1812), Indiana (December 11, 1816), Mississippi (December 10, 1817). Act of April 4, 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.
| USA Flag | Flag Pics | World Flags |
(May 1, 1795 – July 3, 1818)
When Vermont (March 4, 1791) and Kentucky (June 1, 1792) joined USA as states, both the number of stars and stripes were raised to 15. Act of January 13, 1794 - provided for 15 stripes and 15 stars after May 1795.
During the War of 1812, Francis Scott Key witnessed the bombardment of Fort McHenry. When Key saw an oversized American flag emerge intact in the dawn of September 14, 1814, he was so moved that he began that morning to compose the poem "Defence of Fort M'Henry" that was later set to the tune "To Anacreon in Heaven" which would later be renamed "The Star-Spangled Banner" and become the United States' national anthem. A replica of the 15-star, 15-stripe U.S. flag currently flies over Fort McHenry
During the War of 1812, Francis Scott Key witnessed the bombardment of Fort McHenry. When Key saw an oversized American flag emerge intact in the dawn of September 14, 1814, he was so moved that he began that morning to compose the poem "Defence of Fort M'Henry" that was later set to the tune "To Anacreon in Heaven" which would later be renamed "The Star-Spangled Banner" and become the United States' national anthem. A replica of the 15-star, 15-stripe U.S. flag currently flies over Fort McHenry
| USA Flag | Flag Pics | World Flags |
(June 14, 1777 – May 1, 1795)
Flag Resolution of June 14, 1777 - stated: "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."
Francis Hopkinson's design for a US flag, featuring six-pointed stars arranged in rows. One famous arrangement featured 13 outwardly-oriented five-pointed stars arranged in a circle, the so-called Betsy Ross flag
Francis Hopkinson's design for a US flag, featuring six-pointed stars arranged in rows. One famous arrangement featured 13 outwardly-oriented five-pointed stars arranged in a circle, the so-called Betsy Ross flag
| USA Flag | Flag Pics | World Flags |
(December 3, 1775 – June 14, 1777)
The first flag of the colonists to have any resemblance to the present Stars and Stripes was the Grand Union Flag, sometimes referred to as the Congress Colors, the First Navy Ensign, and the Cambridge Flag. Its design consisted of 13 stripes, alternately red and white, representing the Thirteen Colonies, with a blue field in the upper left-hand corner bearing the red cross of St. George of England with the white cross of St. Andrew of Scotland. As the flag of the revolution it was used on many occasions. It was first flown by the ships of the Colonial Fleet on the Delaware River. On December 3, 1775, it was raised aboard Captain Esek Hopkin's flagship Alfred by John Paul Jones, then a Navy lieutenant. Later the flag was raised on the liberty pole at Prospect Hill, which was near George Washington's headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It was our unofficial national flag on July 4, 1776, Independence Day; and it remained the unofficial national flag and ensign of the Navy until June 14, 1777, when the Continental Congress authorized the Stars and Stripes. Interestingly, the Grand Union Flag also was the standard of the British East India Company. The final breach between the Colonies and Great Britain brought about the removal of the British Union from the canton of our striped flag and the substitution of stars on a blue field.
| USA Flag | Flag Pics | World Flags |