The Stars and Stripes

The US Flag: Stars & Stripes

Title 4- US Code - § 1

US Flag Code: - Stars and Stripes

The flag of the United States shall be thirteen horizontal stripes, alternate red and white; and the union of the flag shall be forty-eight stars, white in a blue field.

The Meaning and Purpose

The "Stars and Stripes" is a common nickname for the United States flag, and the U.S. Flag Code. It serves to provide guidelines for its design, display, and handling.

The U.S. Flag Code itself doesn’t explicitly state a "purpose" for the stars and stripes in poetic terms, but it defines their design and arrangement. According to 4 U.S.C. § 1, the flag consists of thirteen horizontal stripes (alternating red and white) and a blue field (union) in the upper left corner containing fifty white, five-pointed stars. The stripes represent the original thirteen colonies that declared independence from Britain, while the stars symbolize the fifty states of the Union today.

Historically, the stars and stripes design emerged from the need to create a national symbol during the American Revolution. The Continental Congress resolved on June 14, 1777, that "the flag of the United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation." The purpose was both practical—identifying American forces—and symbolic, reflecting unity, independence, and a new nation among the world’s powers. Over time, as states were added, the stars increased, but the stripes remained at thirteen to honor the founding colonies.

In essence, the stars and stripes section of the Flag Code serves to standardize this design, ensuring it remains a consistent emblem of national identity, heritage, and sovereignty.