 |
|
 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 principal acts affecting
the flag of the United States are the following:
- 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."
- Act of January 13, 1794 - provided for 15 stripes and 15 stars after
May 1795.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Number of Stars in the U.S. Flag, and additional states
represented, 1777 to Present
|
Date of Flag
|
Additional states with date of entry into Union
|
| 13 stars - 1777 to 1795 |
- Delaware (December 7, 1787)
- Pennsylvania (December 12, 1787)
- New Jersey (December 18, 1787)
- Georgia (January 2, 1788)
- Connecticut (January 9, 1788)
- Massachusetts (February 6, 1788)
- Maryland (April 28, 1788)
- South Carolina (May 23, 1788)
- New Hampshire (June 21, 1788)
- Virginia (June 25, 1788)
- New York (July 26, 1788)
- North Carolina (November 21, 1789)
- Rhode Island (May 29, 1790)
|
| 15 stars - 1795 to 1818 |
- Vermont (March 4, 1791)
- Kentucky (June 1, 1792)
|
| 20 stars - 1818 to July
3, 1819 |
- Tennessee (June 1, 1796)
- Ohio (March 1, 1803)
- Louisiana (April 30, 1812)
- Indiana (December 11, 1816)
- Mississippi (December 10, 1817)
|
| 21 stars - July 4, 1819
to July 3, 1820 |
- Illinois (December 3, 1818)
|
| 23 stars - July 4, 1820
to July 3, 1822 |
- Alabama (December 14, 1819)
- Maine (March 15, 1820)
|
| 24 stars - July 4, 1822
to July 3, 1836 |
- Missouri (August 10, 1821)
|
| 25 stars - July 4, 1836
to July 3, 1837 |
|
| 26 stars - July 4, 1837
to July 3, 1845 |
|
| 27 stars - July 4, 1845
to July 3, 1846 |
|
| 28 stars - July 4, 1846
to July 3, 1847 |
- Texas (December 29, 1845)
|
| 29 stars - July 4, 1847
to July 3, 1848 |
|
| 30 stars - July 4, 1848
to July 3, 1851 |
|
| 31 stars - July 4, 1851
to July 3, 1858 |
- California (September 9, 1850)
|
| 32 stars - July 4, 1858
to July 3, 1859 |
|
| 33 stars - July 4, 1859
to July 3, 1861 |
- Oregon (February 14, 1859)
|
| 34 stars - July 4, 1861
to July 3, 1863 |
- Kansas (January 29, 1861)
|
| 35 stars - July 4, 1863
to July 3, 1865 |
- West Virginia (June 20, 1863)
|
| 36 stars - July 4, 1865
to July 3, 1867 |
- Nevada (October 31, 1864)
|
| 37 stars - July 4, 1867
to July 3, 1877 |
|
| 38 stars - July 4, 1877
to July 3, 1890 |
- Colorado (August 1, 1876)
|
| 43 stars - July 4, 1890
to July 3, 1891 |
- North Dakota (November 2, 1889)
- South Dakota (November 2, 1889)
- Montana (November 8, 1889)
- Washington (November 11, 1889)
- Idaho (July 3, 1890)
|
| 44 stars - July 4, 1891
to July 3, 1896 |
|
| 45 stars - July 4, 1896
to July 3, 1908 |
|
| 46 stars - July 4, 1908
to July 3, 1912 |
- Oklahoma (November 16, 1907)
|
| 48 stars - July 4, 1912
to July 3, 1959 |
- New Mexico (January 6, 1912)
- Arizona (February 14, 1912)
|
| 49 stars - July 4, 1959
to July 3, 1960 |
|
| 50 stars - July 4, 1960 to present |
|
Prepared by the Armed Forces History Collections,
in cooperation with Public Inquiry Services,
Smithsonian Institution
Rev. 9/01
|
