Why thirteen stripes

The stripes represent the original 13 colonies and the stars represent the 50 states in the Union. Career Training USA is a cultural exchange program that enables current university students and young professionals from all over the world to pursue internships in the U.

Read about the adventures others have had and get excited for yours. History of the American Flag. Lauren O'Connor. Tweet Share Email. History U. Intern or Train in the U. Experience American culture and add international skills to your resume. Learn about life abroad Read about the adventures others have had and get excited for yours. Three Ways for U. The Flag of America comprises of thirteen stripes of equal size running horizontally across the banner and a blue rectangle on the canton consisting of fifty white stars.

The thirteen horizontal stripes of red alternating with white, with the red stripe being at the top and bottom. The thirteen stripes symbolize the thirteen British colonies that gained independence from Great Britain in and were the founding states of the US. The fifty stars with five-points represent the fifty states comprising the USA. The first American flag was designed by Francis Hopkinson in , while the current American flag was designed by year old Robert G.

Heft designed the flag as a high school project in and the flag was officially embraced in July Michigan was admitted to the Union in as a free state to help maintain the balance between slave and free states. Michigan's admission had been thwarted because of a border dispute with Ohio — which had been admitted as a state in — but President Andrew Jackson helped Michigan save face by awarding it land from the Upper Peninsula, and then it was granted statehood, boosting the number of states to Florida, a former possession of the Spanish empire, was admitted to the Union in , raising the total number of U.

It would not remain in the Union for long: Florida would secede in In , the flag would undergo another change, this time because of the admission of Texas.

Before becoming the 28th state, the Lone Star state had broken away from Mexico in It was an independent republic before joining the Union and becoming the biggest state in land mass in the contiguous 48 states. Iowa was admitted to the Union on Dec. Its star was added to the U. Originally part of the Louisiana Purchase, Iowa grew dramatically because of its rich farmland. Iowa had been established as a U. Wisconsin became a state on May 29, , adding the 30th star to the U.

Not all residents of Wisconsin were enthusiastic about statehood. They had rejected it four times previously because they were concerned statehood would mean higher taxes. The Gold Rush that began with the discovery of the precious metal in helped fast-track California to statehood in California became the 31st star on the American flag the following July 4. The admission of California fulfilled America's manifest destiny of a nation extending from sea to sea.

On the eve of the Civil War, Minnesota was admitted to the Union on May 11, , and represented as the 32nd state on the flag less than two months later. Minnesota was admitted as a free state. America's expansion surged to the Northwest with the admission of Oregon on Feb. Oregon, which had become a U. Kansas became the 34th state to join the Union. Voter fraud over whether the state would be admitted as a slave state or a free state delayed its admission. Kansas joined the Union on Jan.

The onset of the Civil War did not halt the admission of states to the Union. Truman officially declared June 14 as Flag Day. The history of our flag is as fascinating as that of the American Republic itself. It has survived battles, inspired songs and evolved in response to the growth of the country it represents. The following is a collection of interesting facts and customs about the American flag and how it is to be displayed:. Exclusive corporate sponsorship by:. Support Provided By: Learn More.

The History of the American Flag. Origins The origin of the first American flag is unknown.