Until the Executive Order of June 24, 1912, neither the order of the stars nor the proportions of the flag was prescribed. Consequently, flags dating before this period sometimes show unusual ...

This is, of course, in stark contrast to the actual American flag, which features 50 stars and 13 stripes. So what does a nine star flag mean in the U.S.? The American people have some concerns.

June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress issued a resolution making the Stars and Stripes the nation's flag. Enjoy a little red, white, and blue from across the Smithsonian. Visit the O Say Can You See ...