Why are there 52 stars on the American flag?

The number of stars on the American flag represents the number of U.S. states. So why are there specifically 52 stars on the flag? This number traces back to the history of how states joined the union over time.

Table of Contents

The Original 13 States

The first 13 states were the original colonies that declared independence from Great Britain in 1776. These colonies became the first states of the new nation of the United States of America. They are:

Delaware
Pennsylvania
New Jersey

Georgia
Connecticut
Massachusetts

Maryland
South Carolina
New Hampshire

Virginia
New York
North Carolina

Rhode Island

The first official American flag, which was created in 1777, featured 13 stars and 13 stripes representing these original 13 colonies. Each star represented one state.

Adding More States

As the United States expanded westward and new territories became states, more stars were added to the flag to represent these new additions. Here is a timeline of when new states joined and when more stars were added:

1791 – Vermont (1 new star, 14 total)
1792 – Kentucky (1 new star, 15 total)
1796 – Tennessee (1 new star, 16 total)

1803 – Ohio (1 new star, 17 total)
1812 – Louisiana (1 new star, 18 total)
1816 – Indiana (1 new star, 19 total)

1817 – Mississippi (1 new star, 20 total)
1818 – Illinois (1 new star, 21 total)
1819 – Alabama (1 new star, 22 total)

1820 – Maine (1 new star, 23 total)
1821 – Missouri (1 new star, 24 total)

In 1818, Congress passed the Flag Act which stated that the number of stripes would remain 13, symbolizing the original colonies, while the number of stars would reflect the number of states. With each new state, another star was added.

Rapid Growth in the Mid-1800s

In the mid-1800s, the United States experienced rapid territorial growth and expansion westward. A number of new states joined in quick succession:

1836 – Arkansas (1 new star, 25 total)
1837 – Michigan (1 new star, 26 total)

1845 – Florida (1 new star, 27 total)
1845 – Texas (1 new star, 28 total)
1846 – Iowa (1 new star, 29 total)

1848 – Wisconsin (1 new star, 30 total)

In 1847, some substantial changes were made to the flag. That year, Congress decided to add a new star for each new state on the 4th of July following its admission. They also passed legislation that the number of stripes would permanently remain at 13.

With multiple states joining in quick succession, having a new star for each state was becoming impractical. So in 1854, President Franklin Pierce signed a bill to once again redesign the American flag. This new design condensed the existing 30 stars into the blue canton in the upper left corner, arranged in 6 rows of 5 stars each.

More Additions Before the 20th Century

Here are the remaining state additions before the turn of the 20th century and their corresponding new star on the flag:

1858 – Minnesota (1 new star, 31 total)
1859 – Oregon (1 new star, 32 total)

1861 – Kansas (1 new star, 33 total)
1863 – West Virginia (1 new star, 34 total)
1864 – Nevada (1 new star, 35 total)

1867 – Nebraska (1 new star, 36 total)
1876 – Colorado (1 new star, 37 total)
1889 – North Dakota (1 new star, 38 total)

1889 – South Dakota (1 new star, 39 total)
1890 – Montana (1 new star, 40 total)
1890 – Washington (1 new star, 41 total)

1896 – Utah (1 new star, 42 total)
1896 – Oklahoma (1 new star, 43 total)

In 1890, Congress officially adopted the existing layout of stars in rows of six and seven as the standard. So with the addition of new states, new stars were simply added to this existing pattern.

The Last Few Stars

Here are the remaining state additions in the 20th century that brought us to the current 50 stars:

1907 – Oklahoma (1 new star, 44 total)
1912 – New Mexico and Arizona (2 new stars, 46 total)

1959 – Alaska (1 new star, 47 total)
1960 – Hawaii (1 new star, 48 total)

In 1959, with Alaska’s addition making 49 states, President Dwight D. Eisenhower ordered a new 50 star design to accommodate any future state additions. This new design arranged the stars into 5 rows of 6 stars each with an alternating offset pattern. It became official on July 4, 1960 when Hawaii was admitted, making 50 states.

The Current American Flag

Here is a summary of the key details of the current American flag:

50 stars representing the 50 U.S. states
13 stripes representing the original 13 colonies

Blue canton in upper left with 50 stars arranged in an offset pattern of 5 rows of 6 stars each
13 red and white alternating stripes

So in conclusion, the reason there are specifically 52 stars on the current American flag is because that number represents the 50 states plus the original 13 colonies that became the first states.

Timeline of State Additions and Star Total

Here is a table summarizing when each state joined the union and the running star total on the flag:

Year	State Added	Star Total
1776	Original 13 states	13
1791	Vermont	14
1796	Kentucky	15
1796	Tennessee	16
1803	Ohio	17
1812	Louisiana	18
1816	Indiana	19
1817	Mississippi	20
1818	Illinois	21
1819	Alabama	22
1820	Maine	23
1821	Missouri	24
1836	Arkansas	25
1837	Michigan	26
1845	Florida	27
1845	Texas	28
1846	Iowa	29
1848	Wisconsin	30
1858	Minnesota	31
1859	Oregon	32
1861	Kansas	33
1863	West Virginia	34
1864	Nevada	35
1867	Nebraska	36
1876	Colorado	37
1889	North Dakota	38
1889	South Dakota	39
1890	Montana	40
1890	Washington	41
1896	Utah	42
1896	Oklahoma	43
1907	Oklahoma	44
1912	New Mexico	45
1912	Arizona	46
1959	Alaska	47
1960	Hawaii	48

The Flag Today

The American flag remains an enduring symbol of freedom, independence, and national pride. While the design and arrangements of elements have changed over time, the symbolism remains unchanged. The 13 stripes still represent the original 13 colonies. And the 50 stars represent each U.S. state united together to form this nation.

The flag is flown proudly by Americans across the country and around the world as an emblem of the United States. It remains perhaps the most iconic and recognizable symbol of America more than 200 years after its creation.