June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress issued a resolution making the Stars and Stripes the nation's flag. Enjoy a little red, white, and blue from across the Smithsonian. Visit the O Say Can You See ...

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 ...

Why are there 7 red stripes and 6 white stripes on the flag? Good question ... (to represent the colonies). The stars form an arch inside of a blue square at the top left corner of the flag ...