Five Things You Might Not Know About the U.S. Flag-- Part 5: 13 Stripes and Stars for New States

The rules for the design of the national flag were finalized after the War of 1812.

The design needed to be updated again again with the addition of five new states.  

On April 4, 1818, Congress passed the third Flag Act.  Instead of increasing the number of stripes from 15 to 20, the act reduced the number of stripes permanently to 13, honoring the original states.

Congress provided, however, that new stars would be added as new states joined the union.

With Hawaii's admission in 1959, the U.S. flag was modified one last time on July 4, 1960.  The 50th star.

Aren't you glad there aren't 50 stripes?  That would be a mighty strange looking flag.

--DaCoot