How Many Stars Are On The American Flag

The American flag, known officially as the "Stars and Stripes," is one of the most iconic symbols of the United States of America. It consists of 13 equal alternating red and white stripes and 50 five-pointed white stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows on a blue field. Each star on the flag represents one of the 50 U.S. states.

As officially defined by an Executive Order signed by President Dwight Eisenhower on August 21st, 1959, the U.S. flag “consists of thirteen horizontal stripes, alternate red and white; and a union of fifty white stars of equal size in nine offset horizontal rows, where rows of six stars (top and bottom) alternate with rows of five stars.”

Therefore, the American flag contains 50 stars in total. Each star signifies a state in the Union. It is interesting that the first version of the flag in 1777 featured 13 stars representing the original 13 colonies. As new states were added, more stars were incorporated into the design. The 50-star flag was adopted on July 4th, 1960, shortly after the admission of Hawaii as the 50th state into the United States.

The stars are horizontally and vertically centered on the middle red stripe so that no single star points toward the top of the flag. Moreover, the flag is flown with the stars in a diagonal pattern so as to keep it in balance while airborne.

The stars are also carefully designed, with the points of every star comprising five equal segments of a circle. According to a joint resolution signed by President Herbert Hoover in 1929, "no exact star design is prescribed". That being said, the Bureau of Model Management of the U.S. Army has recommended Seth Thomas and E. Walter Stevens’ star design, which consists of five points, each with a 35-degree angle and extended outward to 13 32nds of an inch.

The 50 stars of our American flag represent the democratic spirit of our nation and stand as a reminder of our shared values and bond as Americans.