List of flags of the United States

From Wikipedia the free encyclopedia

See also: Flags of the U.S. states and territories
A 2.00 m × 1.70 m oil painting showing historical US flags.

This is a list of flags in the United States describing the evolution of the flag of the United States, 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

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Main article: Flag of the United States

Historical progression of designs

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Since 1818, a star for each new state has been added to the flag on the Fourth of July 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.[1]

  • 1775–1777 (the "Continental Union")
    Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag 1775–1777 (the "Continental Union")
  • 1777–1795 (13 stars)
    Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag 1777–1795 (13 stars)
  • Betsy Ross circular 13-star version (1792) *other
    Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag Betsy Ross circular 13-star version (1792) *other
  • "Hopkinson" version (1777–1795) *other
    Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag "Hopkinson" version (1777–1795) *other
  • Battle of Bennington version (1777) *other
    Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag Battle of Bennington version (1777) *other
  • 1795–1818 (the "Star-Spangled Banner", 15 stars, 15 stripes)
    Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag 1795–1818 (the "Star-Spangled Banner", 15 stars, 15 stripes)
  • 1818–1819 (20 stars)
    Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag 1818–1819 (20 stars)
  • 1819–1820 (21 stars)
    Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag 1819–1820 (21 stars)
  • 1820–1822 (23 stars)
    Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag 1820–1822 (23 stars)
  • 1822–1836 (24 stars)
    Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag 1822–1836 (24 stars)
  • 1836–1837 (25 stars)
    Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag 1836–1837 (25 stars)
  • 1837–1845 (26 stars)
    Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag 1837–1845 (26 stars)
  • 1845–1846 (27 stars)
    Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag 1845–1846 (27 stars)
  • 1846–1847 (28 stars)
    Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag 1846–1847 (28 stars)
  • 1847–1848 (29 stars)
    Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag 1847–1848 (29 stars)
  • 1848–1851 (30 stars)
    Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag 1848–1851 (30 stars)
  • 1851–1858 (31 stars)
    Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag 1851–1858 (31 stars)
  • 1858–1859 (32 stars)
    Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag 1858–1859 (32 stars)
  • 1859–1861 (33 stars)
    Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag 1859–1861 (33 stars)
  • 1861–1863 (34 stars)
    Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag 1861–1863 (34 stars)
  • 1863–1865 (35 stars)
    Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag 1863–1865 (35 stars)
  • 1865–1867 (36 stars)
    Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag 1865–1867 (36 stars)
  • 1867–1877 (37 stars)
    Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag 1867–1877 (37 stars)
  • 1877–1890 (38 stars)
    Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag 1877–1890 (38 stars)
  • 1890–1891 (43 stars)
    Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag 1890–1891 (43 stars)
  • 1891–1896 (44 stars)
    Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag 1891–1896 (44 stars)
  • 1896–1908 (45 stars)
    Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag 1896–1908 (45 stars)
  • 1908–1912 (46 stars)
    Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag 1908–1912 (46 stars)
  • 1912–1959 (48 stars)
    Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag 1912–1959 (48 stars)
  • 1959–1960 (49 stars)
    Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag 1959–1960 (49 stars)
  • 1960–present (50 stars)
    Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag 1960–present (50 stars)

Other historical versions

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Executive branch flags

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Office of the President

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Office of the Vice President

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Department of State

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Department of the Treasury

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Department of Defense

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See also: Flags of the United States Armed Forces

Department of the Army

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Army

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Department of the Navy

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Marine Corps
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Department of the Air Force

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Air Force
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Space Force
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National Guard Bureau

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Civil Air Patrol
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The Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is a congressionally chartered, federally supported non-profit corporation 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.[2]

Department of Justice

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Department of the Interior

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Department of Agriculture

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Department of Commerce

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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

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  • Flag of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
    Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag Flag of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
  • Flag of the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
    Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag Flag of the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
  • Flag of the Deputy Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
    Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag Flag of the Deputy Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
  • Flag of an Associate Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
    Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag Flag of an Associate Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps

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Department of Labor

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Department of Health and Human Services

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United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps

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Department of Housing and Urban Development

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Department of Transportation

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Department of Energy

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Department of Education

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Department of Veterans Affairs

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Department of Homeland Security

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Coast Guard

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Legislative branch flags

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Congress

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Other federal flags

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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

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Main article: Flags of the U.S. states and territories

Map showing the flags of the 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and the five inhabited U.S. territories

The flags of the U.S. states, territories, and federal district 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 (May 11, 2024), while the most recent current territorial flag is that of the Northern Mariana Islands (July 1, 1985).

History

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Modern U.S. state flags date from the 1890s, when states wanted to have distinctive symbols at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, Illinois. Most U.S. state flags were designed and adopted between 1893 and World War I.[3]

According to a 2001 survey by the North American Vexillological Association, New Mexico has the best-designed flag of any U.S. state, U.S. territory, or Canadian province, while Georgia's state flag was rated the worst design.[4] (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

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Dates in parentheses denote when the current flag was adopted by the state's legislature.