What do the stars and stripes mean on the American flag?
The stars on the American flag represent the number of states in the Union. For that reason, the appearance of the American flag has changed many times over the years. The original flag, known as “Old Glory,” displayed 13 stars to represent the original 13 states when the nation declared its independence from Great Britain in 1776. Today’s flag has 50 stars because there are now 50 states. The last two stars were added in 1959, when Alaska and Hawaii joined the Union, bringing the number of states — and the number of stars on the flag — from 48 to the present 50. The flag has not changed since then. The stripes represent the 13 original colonies.
