AND STRIPES. It consists of Fifty stars which represent
the fifty states. Thirteen red and white horizontal stripes stand for the original thirteen States that were united in 1776.
The first flag was called the Grand Union Flag. It combined the flag of Great Britain with the thirteen stripes. It showed that these first thirteen states were British colonies. After the War of Independence, all thirteen states became free and the flag changed. The British flag in the corner was replaced by stars. Every time a new state entered the Union, a star was added.
So now today’s flag shows the thirteen stripes for the original number of states in 1776 plus the 50 stars which represent today’s total.