Each country has its own flag. The United States is no exception. For American citizens, concepts such as homeland, patriotism, a sense of duty to their country, etc., mean a lot. That is why Americans are very sensitive to the symbol of their nation - the flag of the United States.
The USA flag is the main national symbol of America
The American flag, with its stripes and stars, is the main official symbol of the United States. This flag is a rectangular canvas with white and red horizontal stripes and a blue square with many stars depicted on it.
Each color has its own special meaning. White symbolizes the moral principles and foundations on which this country was founded, and red means the spilled blood of the founders of the colonies.
Stars on the US flag: back in time
Of course, you've probably seen the US flag with its distinctive stripes and stars. But not everyone is aware of exactly how many stars there are on this symbol of America and what meaning they have. But this is a rather interesting question, since the US flag has changed many times in its entire history, and the number of stars depicted on it has not remained unchanged either.
Therefore, it is worth looking at the history of the American flag. It began on the day when the United States was officially proclaimed an independent state, that is, on July 4, 1776. Until this date, the country did not have its own banner; initially, America used the "continental flag" - the symbol of Great Britain. For the next year and a half, this banner was carried by the North American revolutionaries led by George Washington.
Nevertheless, the inhabitants of this country understood that the established independent state needed its own unique and inimitable symbol. Therefore, in June 1777, Congress approved a new official US flag. On it, instead of the symbols of Great Britain, stars began to flaunt, symbolizing the annexed states. So, originally in 1777, there were 13 white stars on the American flag, representing 13 states.
According to legend, the very first US banner for American Independence Day was made by a seamstress named Betsy Ross, a native of Philadelphia. And the day when it was adopted by Congress (June 14) is celebrated in America as Flag Day to this day.
Throughout the history of the United States, the number of stars on the banner has changed several times. For example, in 1795 two more joined the United States: Vermont and Kentucky. At the same time, the number of stars increased to 15. And this was repeated every time each new state joined this country. The longest time - from 1912 to 1959 - the American banner with 48 stars held out.
How many stars are on the US flag now?
In 1960, the last of these, Hawaii, joined the United States. When he became part of this country, the last, 50th asterisk appeared on the American flag. And today it consists of 50 stars and 13 stripes. The latter means the number of the first states - colonies.
However, since 2012, negotiations are underway to make Puerto Rico official 51 states. The US Army Institute of Heraldry has prepared proposals for redesigning the new flag.
