
This is a list of flags in the United States describing the evolution of the
flag of the United States
The national flag of the United States, often referred to as the American flag or the U.S. flag, consists of thirteen horizontal Bar (heraldry), stripes, Variation of the field, alternating red and white, with a blue rectangle in the Canton ( ...
, as well as other flags used within the United States, such as the flags of
governmental agencies. There are also separate flags for embassies and ships.
National flags
Historical progression of designs
Since 1818, a star for each new state has been added to the flag on the
Fourth of July
Independence Day, known colloquially as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States which commemorates the ratification of the Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, establishing th ...
the year immediately following each state's admission. In years in which multiple states have been admitted, the corresponding number of stars were added to the flag. This change has typically been the only change made with each revision of the flag since 1777, with the exception of changes in 1795 and 1818, which increased the number of stripes to 15 and then returned it to 13, respectively. As the exact pattern of stars was not specified prior to 1912, many of the historical U.S. national flags (shown below) have had varied arrangements of the stars.
Other historical versions
Executive branch flags
Office of the President
Office of the Vice President
Department of State
Department of the Treasury
Department of Defense
Department of the Army
Army
Department of the Navy
=''Navy''
=
=''Marine Corps''
=
Department of the Air Force
=''Air Force''
=
=''Space Force''
=
National Guard Bureau
=''Civil Air Patrol''
=
The
Civil Air Patrol
Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is a Congressional charter, congressionally chartered, federally supported Nonprofit corporation, non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliaries, auxiliary of the United States Air Force (USAF). CA ...
(CAP) is a
congressionally chartered,
federally supported
non-profit corporation
A nonprofit corporation is any legal entity which has been incorporated under the law of its jurisdiction for purposes other than making profits for its owners or shareholders. Depending on the laws of the jurisdiction, a nonprofit corporation ma ...
that serves as the official
civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force. It has quasi-military organizational and rank structures modeled on those of the Air Force.
Department of Justice
Department of the Interior
Department of Agriculture
Department of Commerce
''National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration''
''National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps''
Department of Labor
Department of Health and Human Services
''
United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps
The United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (USPHSCC; also referred to as the Commissioned Corps of the United States Public Health Service) is the uniformed service branch of the United States Public Health Service and one of t ...
''
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Department of Transportation
Department of Energy
Department of Education
Department of Veterans Affairs
Department of Homeland Security
Coast Guard
Legislative branch flags
Congress
Other federal flags
Many agencies, departments, and offices of the U.S. federal government have their own flags, guidons, or standards. Following traditional American vexillology, these usually consist of the agency's departmental seal on a blank opaque background, but not always.
State and territory flags
The flags of the
U.S.
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguous ...
states
State most commonly refers to:
* State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory
**Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country
**Nation state, a ...
,
territories
A territory is an area of land, sea, or space, belonging or connected to a particular country, person, or animal.
In international politics, a territory is usually a geographic area which has not been granted the powers of self-government, ...
, and
federal district
A federal district is a specific administrative division in one of various federations. These districts may be under the direct jurisdiction of a federation's national government, as in the case of federal territory (e.g., India, Malaysia), or the ...
exhibit a variety of regional influences and local histories, as well as different styles and design principles. Nonetheless, the majority of the states' flags share the same design pattern consisting of the
state seal superimposed on a monochrome background, commonly every different shade of blue, which remains a source of criticism from
vexillologists.
The most recent current state flag is that of
Minnesota
Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...
(May 11, 2024), while the most recent current territorial flag is that of the
Northern Mariana Islands
The Northern Mariana Islands, officially the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), is an Territories of the United States, unincorporated territory and Commonwealth (U.S. insular area), commonwealth of the United States consistin ...
(July 1, 1985).
History
Modern U.S. state flags date from the 1890s, when states wanted to have distinctive symbols at the 1893
World's Columbian Exposition
The World's Columbian Exposition, also known as the Chicago World's Fair, was a world's fair held in Chicago from May 5 to October 31, 1893, to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the New World in 1492. The ...
in
Chicago
Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
,
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...
. Most U.S. state flags were designed and adopted between 1893 and
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
.
According to a 2001 survey by the
North American Vexillological Association
The North American Vexillological Association (NAVA) is a membership organization devoted to vexillology, the study of flags. It was founded in 1967 by American vexillologist Whitney Smith, and others. Its membership of 1,100+ comprises flag s ...
,
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States. It is one of the Mountain States of the southern Rocky Mountains, sharing the Four Corners region with Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. It also ...
has the best-designed flag of any U.S. state, U.S. territory, or
Canadian province
Canada has ten provinces and three territories that are sub-national administrative divisions under the jurisdiction of the Constitution of Canada, Canadian Constitution. In the 1867 Canadian Confederation, three provinces of British North Amer ...
, while Georgia's state flag was rated the worst design.
(Georgia adopted a new flag in 2003; Nebraska's state flag, whose design was rated second worst, remains in use to date.)
Current state flags
Dates in parentheses denote when the current flag was adopted by the state's legislature.
Current federal district flag
Current inhabited territory flags
County flags
City flags
Maritime flags
Ensigns
National
Since 1777, the national
ensign
Ensign most often refers to:
* Ensign (flag), a flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality
* Ensign (rank), a navy (and former army) officer rank
Ensign or The Ensign may also refer to:
Places
* Ensign, Alberta, Alberta, Canada
* Ensign, Ka ...
of the United States has also simultaneously served as its national flag. The current version is shown below; for previous versions, please see the section ''Historical progression of designs'' above.
States
Other
=Jacks
=
Distinctive marks
Commissioning pennants
Native American tribal flags
Associated state flags
While the countries mentioned are recognized independent nations with
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...
seats, the United States maintains and exercises jurisdictional control over the countries in defense, security, and funding grants.
Historical flags
Thirteen Colonies
American Revolutionary War
Former federal flags
Other states
Former territories and administered areas
See also
*
Flag Day in the United States
*
Flag desecration in the United States
*
Flags of the U.S. states and territories
*
North American Vexillological Association
The North American Vexillological Association (NAVA) is a membership organization devoted to vexillology, the study of flags. It was founded in 1967 by American vexillologist Whitney Smith, and others. Its membership of 1,100+ comprises flag s ...
*
United States Flag Code
References
External links
The History of U.S. Flags (YouTube)(Slideshow on U.S. National Flags Historical Progression)
History of the flags
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Flags of the United States, List of
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
History of the United States by topic
United States history-related lists