Flags That Have Flown Over Georgia: The History of the Georgia State Flag

U.S. National Flag, 1777-1795

In June 1777, the Continental Congress decided to break the symbolic tie to Britain then reflected in the United States flag. By then, the colonies had declared their independence as new states. The 13 red and white stripes on the Grand Union flag were retained as a symbol of the 13 unified states. However, the British Union Jack was replaced with a canton consisting of a circle of 13 stars on a solid blue field- symbolic of "a new constellation" of 13 independent states. In actual practice, several versions of what would be known as the "Stars and Stripes" had cantons with stars arranged in other ways.

Tradition has long credited Betsy Ross with designing and creating the first Stars and Stripes for George Washington, but the best available evidence suggests that credit should go to Francis Hopkinson, a delegate to the Continental Congress from New Jersey.