The American national flag is the official national flag of the United States of America (USA). The USA is located in the north part of the American continent, south of Canada and north of Mexico. The US national flag is a rectangular flag with a 10:19 aspect ratio. The official aspect ratio is not legally defined in the Executive Order, which is a directive from the President, so other aspect ratios may be used. The legal rules for this are set out in detail in Executive Order 10834.
The American national flag has 13 horizontal stripes. Each stripe represents the original 13 colonies, alternating between red and white. The flag also has a blue section with 50 stars. The stars represent the 50 states in the United States. The stars have the color white.
A significant proportion of US residents carry the American national flag close to their hearts. In some cities, flags are displayed on many single-family homes and condominiums. American residents proudly carry the national flag on their clothing, cars and other personal items. It can be said that American residents have a great respect for their national flag.
What is the shape of the American national flag?
The American national flag displays sharpness and keenness in its design. The edges of the stars and stripes are precisely defined, creating a crisp and clear appearance. The stars have sharp points, and the stripes form distinct, straight lines, representing the meticulous attention to detail in the flag’s construction.
The American national flag embodies angularity through its rectangular shape and the arrangement of stars in the canton. The flag’s sides form right angles, and the stars are organized in neat rows and columns. This angularity symbolizes stability, order, and adherence to a structured design.
The American national flag does not exhibit narrowing. Its width remains consistent throughout, maintaining a balanced and symmetrical composition. This uniformity in width ensures that the flag maintains its recognizable proportions, irrespective of its size or display.
While the American national flag is primarily composed of straight lines, there is a subtle curve to the stars representing the constellation. This slight curvature adds a sense of depth and dimension to the flag, enhancing the visual appeal and creating a captivating effect when the flag is unfurled.
The American national flag does not incorporate roundness in its design. Its shapes and symbols are primarily characterized by straight lines and sharp angles. The absence of roundness contributes to the flag’s bold and distinct appearance, emphasizing strength and stability.
The American national flag is known for its straightness. The stripes that represent the original 13 colonies are perfectly straight and parallel. The flag is meant to be displayed with straight lines, showcasing a sense of order, discipline, and adherence to a well-defined structure.
The American national flag does not possess crookedness. It is designed to be displayed with precision and accuracy, ensuring that the stripes and stars are aligned correctly. The absence of crookedness symbolizes the importance of maintaining integrity, honesty, and uprightness.
The American national flag does not display stratification. It is made of a single layer of fabric and does not contain distinct layers or levels. The flag’s simplicity and uniformity in structure emphasize unity and equality among the people it represents.
How wide is the American national flag?
The US national flag is 5 feet or 152.4 cm long in standard scales. If you wish to present the flag in a different scale, you will need to calculate the dimensions accordingly.
How high is the American national flag?
The US national flag is 3 feet or 91.44 cm long in standard scales. If you wish to present the flag in a different scale, you will need to calculate the dimensions accordingly.
What is the aspect ratio of the American national flag?
The original ratio of the U.S. national flag is 10:19, which the President of the United States of America may set in Executive Order.
The exact detailed aspect ratio regulations concerning the national flag are contained in Executive Order 10834, issued on 21 August 1959.
What colors does the American national flag use?
The US national flag has a total of 3 colors: red, white and blue. The exact color codes are given in the table below.
| Red | White | Blue | |
| HEX | #B31942 | #FFFFFF | #0A3161 |
| RGB | 179, 25, 66 | 255, 255, 255 | 10, 49, 97 |
| CMYK | 0, 100, 66, 13 | 0, 0, 0, 0 | 100, 68, 0, 54 |
| Pantone | 193 | N. A. | 281 |
| RAL | 3027 | N. A. | 5026 |
History of the american national flag
The history of the modern American national flag dates back to 3 December 1775. The first flag was called the Grand Union Flag and was similar to today’s American national flag. Instead of stars, the flag of today’s United Kingdom appeared inverted.
The next change to the American national flag was in 1777, when exactly 13 horizontal stripes were added, representing the original 13 colonies. The stars did not appear here, the Union Jack remained.
Later, the stars appeared for the longest time, 48 appeared, representing the 48 states. Alaska and Hawaii were incorporated in the 1950s, increasing the number of states in the union and the number of stars on the national flag.
When was the American national flag created?
Today’s modern version of the American national flag, which features 50 stars, was adopted on 4 July 1960. The last change was made 63 years ago and there have been no changes since.
Who made the American national flag?
The flag design, with stripes and stars similar to today’s, was created by New Jersey Congressman Francis Hopkinson and Philadelphia seamstress Betsy Ross had the honor of giving it physical form.
More than 1,500 entries were received for the actual flag, but the winning design was awarded to the United States Army Institute of Heraldry.
How much did it cost to create the American national flag?
The United States of America did not commission anyone to create the American national flag for money, but put out a call for bids to redesign the national flag.
What is the meaning of the American national flag?
The American national flag is an authority in itself. It is a symbol of freedom, linked to the independence of the American people. It features 50 white stars in a blue rectangle, 13 horizontal stripes, 7 of which are red and 6 of which are white.
The symbols on the American national flag and their meanings are shown below.
- Stars: The 50 stars on the American national flag represent the 50 states of the United States of America. The last two states to be added to the states are Alaska and Hawaii, which is why the number of stars has increased from 48 to 50.
- Stripes: The American national flag has 13 horizontal stripes representing the first 13 original colonies of the United States of America. The original colonies were Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.
The colors on the American national flag and their meanings are shown below.
- Red: The color red symbolizes the bravery, valor, heroism and daring of the American people.
- Blue: Blue represents the vigilance, perseverance and justice of the American people.
- White: White represents the purity, innocence and honesty of the American people.
How to fly the American national flag?
With respect to the American flag, there is a guideline called the Flag Code, which describes the rules (etiquette, display, dip) for the flag. The most important etiquette of the American flag is described below.
- The American national flag must not touch the ground under any circumstances.
- The American national flag should never be dipped toward any person or thing, except when the flag is responding to a salute to a foreign nation’s ship.
- The American National Flag must be lit at night by artificial light and cannot remain in the dark.
- The American National Flag must not be worn, torn, or have any defects, if a defect becomes visible it must be replaced or repaired immediately, otherwise it can no longer symbolize the United States of America.
- The U.S. national flag is prohibited from being used for any advertising purpose.
The Flag Code is subject to federal law, however, it is not common for a violation of the Flag Code to result in a penalty for a U.S. citizen, rather it shows a resident’s respect for the state.
Do American citizens respect the American national flag?
Yes. American citizens do respect the American national flag. American citizens honor their country in all circumstances. By honoring the national flag, American citizens show that they belong to a cohesive nation, living their lives in their sovereign form.
Is the American national flag disrespectful?
No, the American national flag is not disrespectful. As mentioned above, the symbols and colors on the American national flag symbolize specific positive ideas and historical events that deepen the respect that American residents have for the national flag.
What national flags are similar to the American national flag?
Due to its standard colors, symbols and shapes, the American national flag is not entirely unique and there are national flags that resemble it.
Below are the national flags that resemble the American national flag.
- Liberia: Very similar to the US national flag, the Liberian national flag has a white and red horizontal stripe, 11 instead of 13, and a single larger white star in the upper left corner.
- Malaysia: 14 horizontal white and red stripes, with a large yellow crescent and a star in the upper left corner on a blue background.
- Togo: Similar in design to the American national flag, but with 5 horizontal stripes of green and yellow, and a larger white star on a red background in the upper left corner.
- Uruguay: 9 horizontal stripes of equal size in white and blue. In the upper left corner is the Sun Of May symbol, which also appears on the Argentine national flag.
- Chile: the Chilean national flag has a total of two horizontal stripes in red and white. In the upper left corner, a larger white star is placed in a square on a blue background.
- African American flag: The African American flag is a flag made by African American residents of the United States of America as an alternative to the American national flag. The shapes and symbols are the same, only the colors have changed. The horizontal stripes are red and green. The upper left corner has black stars on a green background.