4 July 1960 (current 50-star version, after Hawaii's admission, 66 years).
Designed byCurrent 50-star arrangement designed by Robert G. Heft (1958); the first flag is traditionally credited to Betsy Ross and Francis Hopkinson.
Design & Symbolism
Specs plus what each color and emblem means on this flag — tap an element to reveal its meaning.
Proportions
10:19
Shape
Rectangular
Colors
Blue#3C3B6E · Pantone 281 C
Blue signifies vigilance, perseverance and justice.
Red#B22234 · Pantone 193 C
Red signifies valour and bravery.
White#FFFFFF
White signifies purity and innocence.
Symbols & elements
Fifty stars
Each star stands for a state of the Union, on a blue field described in 1777 as a new constellation. The count has changed twenty-six times, most recently in 1960 with Hawaii.
Thirteen stripes
The seven red and six white stripes are the thirteen colonies that declared independence in 1776. Unlike the stars, their number has never changed.
Construction details
Proportions 10:19. Thirteen alternating red and white horizontal stripes, for the thirteen original colonies. In the blue canton, fifty white five-pointed stars, one per state, in nine offset rows (rows of six and five stars alternating).
Construction sheet
Etiquette & protocol
How the flag should be used and displayed with respect.
Specific rules — United States
Flag Day is 14 June.
A strict code governs its use: never touch the ground, be lit at night, folded into a triangle.
Common conventions
Keep the flag clean and never let it touch the ground.
Never fly a torn or faded flag — repair or replace it.
Illuminate the flag if it stays up at night.
Never use the flag as clothing, packaging or advertising.
Dispose of a worn flag respectfully, not in the trash.
Did you know?
Its current fifty-star arrangement was designed by a 17-year-old for a school assignment; he reportedly first got a poor grade, raised when his design was chosen.
