You see it everywhere. It's on porches, bumper stickers, Olympic podiums, and government buildings. But if you actually stop a random person on the street and ask what do the stripes on the American flag represent, you’ll probably get a hesitant "the colonies?" and then a long silence. People usually know the broad strokes, but the specifics—and the weird history of how we got here—often get lost in the shuffle of grade school history classes.
It's thirteen.
Seven red. Six white. They aren't just a design choice made by a seamstress in Philadelphia who liked contrast. Those stripes are a literal map of the birth of a nation, acting as a visual ledger for the original British colonies that decided they'd had enough of King George III. They represent Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Virginia.
But honestly? The story is a bit messier than just "thirteen stripes for thirteen colonies."
The Rebellion Before the Stars
Before we had the "Stars and Stripes," we had the "Grand Union Flag." If you saw it today, you'd think it looked like a weird British hybrid. It had the thirteen red and white stripes, but instead of a blue field with stars, it had the British Union Jack in the corner.
Think about that for a second.
The colonists were literally fighting the British while still flying a flag that featured the British cross. It was a visual representation of the internal conflict of the time: they wanted their rights as Englishmen, but they weren't quite ready to fully sever the cord. The stripes were the constant. Even as the "canton" (that’s the technical term for the top left corner) changed from the Union Jack to the stars we know today, the stripes remained the foundation. They were the physical reminder of the collective group of people actually doing the rebelling.
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Why Red and White?
You’ll often hear people say that the colors were chosen because red stands for bravery and white stands for purity. That's... sort of true, but also a bit of a retroactive justification. When the Continental Congress was busy trying to not get hanged for treason in 1777, they didn't actually release a detailed philosophical breakdown of the colors for the flag itself.
The official "meaning" of the colors actually comes from the Seal of the United States, which was created later. Charles Thomson, the Secretary of the Continental Congress, explained the color symbolism when he presented the seal in 1782. According to Thomson, white signifies purity and innocence. Red represents hardiness and valor. Blue (the color of the chief) signifies vigilance, perseverance, and justice.
It’s worth noting that the stripes are the "hardy" part. They are the alternating rhythm of the flag. If you look at the flag of the British East India Company from that era, it looks shockingly similar to the American flag. Historians like Byron McCandless have pointed out that the design likely drew heavy inspiration from existing maritime flags. It wasn't a divine revelation; it was a practical evolution of what people were used to seeing on the high seas.
That One Time We Almost Had Fifteen Stripes
Here is a bit of trivia that usually surprises people. For a brief window of time, the flag didn't have thirteen stripes.
When Vermont and Kentucky joined the Union in the 1790s, Congress decided that the flag should reflect the growth of the country. They added two stars and two stripes. This fifteen-stripe flag is actually the one that flew over Fort McHenry during the War of 1812. It’s the "Star-Spangled Banner" that Francis Scott Key wrote about.
Could you imagine if we kept doing that?
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If we had added a stripe for every state, the American flag would currently have 50 thin, spindly lines. It would look like a barcode from a distance. By 1818, Congress realized this was a logistical nightmare. They passed the Flag Act of 1818, which reverted the stripes back to thirteen to honor the original colonies, while decreeing that only the stars would increase with new states. It was a smart move. It kept the "foundation" of the country's history visible while allowing the "constellation" to grow.
The Layout Matters More Than You Think
Ever notice that the stripes start and end with red?
There’s a reason for that. If the flag started and ended with white, the edges would blend into the sky or look tattered much faster. Red provides a "frame." There are seven red stripes and six white ones.
The way they interact with the blue "union" is also specific. The first seven stripes—four red and three white—sit right next to the blue field. The remaining six stripes stretch across the full width of the flag. This isn't just aesthetic; it’s a geometric balance that has been codified in Executive Orders, specifically by President Taft in 1912 and later by Eisenhower. Before those orders, flag makers kind of did whatever they wanted. You’d see flags with vertical stripes, or circles of stars, or weirdly proportioned rectangles.
Modern manufacturing has standardized what the stripes look like, but the symbolism remains rooted in that 18th-century defiance.
Common Misconceptions About the Stripes
- "The stripes represent the blood of patriots." While this is a common poetic sentiment found in folk songs and veteran tributes, it isn't in any official founding document. It’s a beautiful meaning we’ve assigned to it over time, but the primary purpose was always the enumeration of the colonies.
- "Betsy Ross designed the stripes." The Betsy Ross story is largely considered a family legend by modern historians. While she was a real person who made flags, there is no contemporary evidence from 1776 that she came up with the stripe design. Most historians point toward Francis Hopkinson, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, as the likely designer.
- "The stripes must always be horizontal." Actually, when the flag is hung vertically (like against a wall), the stripes still represent the colonies, but the orientation shifts. The "union" (stars) should always be at the top left from the observer's point of view.
Why Thirteen Still Matters in 2026
It’s easy to think of the "thirteen colonies" as a dusty history book fact. But what do the stripes on the American flag represent in a modern context? They represent a rejection of centralized, distant power. They represent the idea that a group of distinct entities (the colonies) could unify under a single "union" (the blue field) while maintaining their individual identities.
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The stripes are the part of the flag that never changes. Presidents come and go. States were added until we hit fifty. The stars shifted from a circle to rows to the current staggered pattern. But the thirteen stripes have remained the constant heartbeat of the design for over two hundred years (with that one fifteen-stripe exception).
If you’re looking at a flag today, you’re looking at a timeline. The stars represent where we are now. The stripes represent how we started. Without those thirteen original efforts, the rest of the blue field wouldn't even exist.
Next Steps for Flag Etiquette and History
If you want to ensure you're respecting the history of those thirteen stripes, here are a few practical things you can do:
- Check your flag's condition: If the red and white stripes are fraying at the ends (the "fly" end), it’s technically time to retire the flag. Most VFW or American Legion posts have drop-boxes for respectful retirement.
- Check your lighting: If you’re flying the flag at night, the stripes and stars should be illuminated. It doesn't need a massive spotlight; a simple porch light that reaches the flag is usually sufficient.
- Verify the orientation: If you’re hanging the flag on a wall, make sure the blue union is in the upper left-hand corner. Whether the stripes are running horizontally or vertically, that blue box stays in the observer's top-left.
- Visit the Smithsonian: If you're ever in D.C., go see the original Star-Spangled Banner. You’ll see those fifteen stripes in person and realize just how massive and hand-stitched the history of this country really is.
The flag isn't just a piece of fabric; it's a living document of the American experiment. Understanding the stripes is the first step in reading it.