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Nicknamed the 13 Stars and Stripes according to the 13 original states, the first flag of the United States of America first appeared in 1777. Till now, copies of this version are still being produced, hand-sewn like the original (the sewing machine was invented later). Dont think for a minute that these flags are authentic because they arent.

After the original 13 stars and stripes, many variations have occurred because as new states are inducted, the number of stars and stripes must follow as well. The official flag already had 15 stars and stripes in it in 1795.

You might wonder how the original 18th century 13 stars and stripes flag might have looked. Based on some data gathered, the stars were not arranged as 3 in the first row, 2 in the second, 3 in the third, 2 in the fourth, 3 in the fifth until after the Revolution in 1782. Only three authentic flags have shown this arrangement, which are the 2 regimental colors from Rhode Island and the suspicious flag from Valley Forge, the headquarters of Washington at the time. The two regimental flags are placed not earlier than 1784 while the Valley Forge flags canton (one fourth of the flag usually the upper left area) could have been added later.

Generally the stars on the canton were arranged 4 in the first row, 5 on the second, and 4 on the third. When the revolution ended, the popularity of this arrangement waned and were replaced by the oval or circle arrangement. The arrangement of the stripes started and ended with red stripes with the white stripes interspersed between. Then the arrangement that started and ended with white stripes with red stripes interspersed between became popular. Only one instance showed a tricolor stripe composition.

Let us direct our attentions on the number of points for the stars. As to how many points were necessary, there were no standards. Some used five points and others used seven and eight in the same array. Dimensions of the canton also vary, some use only a third of the total length while others while others can occupy as much as three fourths or even the whole of the total width.

It is important to see the records of three flags using the tricolor composition, red stripe followed by blue followed by white. Aside from the first two mentioned, the arrangement of the stars also vary with four columns of 3 stars and the last one in its own column. Some are laid out 4 in the first column, 2 in the second, 1 in the third, 2 in the fourth, and 4 in the fifth.