The Stars and Stripes is the nickname for the American flag, referring to its design of white stars on a blue rectangle and thirteen alternating red and white horizontal stripes. Each of the fifty stars represents one of the fifty states, while the thirteen stripes represent the original thirteen colonies that declared independence from Britain in 1776.

You'll hear this nickname in patriotic songs, at sporting events, and in news reports. People might say “the Stars and Stripes was raised” at a ceremony or “flying under the Stars and Stripes” when talking about American ships. The name captures what makes the flag instantly recognizable: those bold stripes and the field of stars.

The design has changed twenty-seven times as new states joined the Union. The original flag had just thirteen stars to match the thirteen stripes. Each time a state was added, another star appeared on the flag. The stripes, however, have stayed at thirteen since 1818, always honoring those first colonies that started the nation.

When Americans see the Stars and Stripes, they often think of the values and history it represents: independence, democracy, and the diverse states united as one country. The flag flies at government buildings, schools, and homes across the nation.