When asked, many Americans can not name the thirteen original colonies, but do not know the story behind the U.S. flag? Almost everyone relates the flag as the Stars and Stripes, but how was this combination of colors and shapes together? The explanation that most learn in grade school is that Betsy Ross created the original design of the U.S. flag. This is not entirely true, however, like others around the time had created similar designs. In essence, current U.S. flags screen thirteen stripes alternating red and white for the thirteen colonies and the stars in a field of blue, are present for all fifty states. As the flag U.S. has reflected the changes in the number of states throughout American history, the design of the flag has changed as a result.

Although not established like designing the original flag, Betsy Ross is credited with creating the first. Other U.S. flags by Francis Hopkinson, Cowpens, and Brandywine, appeared in the same time. Design Hopkinson's flag is similar to that of Ross and earlier dates, but the stars are forming linear rather than circular. In addition to the colonies during Revolutionary War seemed to develop their own U.S. flags based on the formation of stars and stripes with a combination of red, white and blue.

At the time the colonies had become states, the flag design was officially, but, as is known, the number of states did not stick to the thirteen, and shortly after American independence, Vermont and Kentucky became states. When these two states were added to the Union, the flag is reflected these changes, and all U.S. flags at the same time, there were fifteen stars and stripes to reflect these changes. When these two states were added in 1818, U.S. Naval Captain Samuel Reid proposed the design of the new flag before Congress, and the idea of spending.

But as the United States moved westward and the Northwest Territories – Now the Midwest – became states like Ohio and Illinois, the design of U.S. flag back to the design of thirteen stripes and the stars change in the number of states. However, from the design approval by Reid in 1818, new stars are added every July 4th to reflect the new member added to the Union. While this often means one or two stars added each year, some larger than average number of years including 1818, in which five new stars that represent new states of Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio and Tennessee, were added and 1890, with stars added for new states of Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Washington.

The longer design for U.S. flag has been our current design, which has been in force since 1960. The last statement was added in 1959, and accordingly, the U.S. flag was updated on 4 July 1960. Although Banderas United States have changed over the years, they all reflect the current Union and the original stars of the Union in 1776, or, more appropriately, the thirteen colonies.

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