Flown first on October 21, 1774 on the Liberty pole in Taunton, Massachusetts. Here's an example of a modified British Red Ensign. There are versions of this flag without the word "LIBERTY" or "LIBERTY AND UNION" on it but rather Pine Trees and rattlesnakes.

"First Navy Jack" also known as "The Continental Navy Jack" or "The Culpepper flag". This flag is believed to have flown aboard the Continental Fleet's flagship 'The Alfred' in January, 1776.

This is a version of the banner used by the "First Virginia Regiment" in 1775 with Colonel Patrick Henry in charge. Notice this flag has many of the elements used in many other flags such as the snake and both slogans.

Fort Mifflin's use dates from around 1775 to the 1960s when it was restored and is now a wonderful historical attraction near the Philadelphia, PA Airport. This was never used as anything except as a Garrison for this fort. A re-creation of this flag flies there today.

This was the flag of the resistance group of colonist who had joined forces in the protest against British Policies such as the "Stamp Act".

The "Colonel Christopher Gadsden" flag or "South Carolina Rattlesnake" was the rank flag of Esek Hopkins, the Commander in Chief of the US Navy, and only flown by him on his Revolutionary ship. It was presented to the South Carolina Provincial Congress by Colonel Christopher Gadsden, a member of the Second Continental Congress.

This is a version of the "Colonel Christopher Gadsden" flag or "South Carolina Rattlesnake". This is an example of one that is displayed by South Carolina's Historical centers.

The Grand Union flag, also known as the Continental flag and Cambridge flag. First Flag of the Continental Army. Raise on January 1, 1776 at Prospect Hill in Boston.

The "Alliance" flag. This is the flag flown on the US Alliance in October, 1779 when the ship accompanied John Paul Jones and the captured ship, the Serapis, to the Netherlands. Notice that this flag starts and ends with white stripes.

John Paul Jones raised a flag of his own on the captured British ship, "The Serapis".

During the battle of Yorktown in October, 1781, this flag flew on the right flank of the American troops. British commander John Simcoe painted this from his station across the river.

One of the first flags to be used on American soil after the Flag resolution by Congress on June 14, 1777 (our first Flag Day) was at the Battle of Bennington in August, 1777. This flag starts and ends with white stripes and has '76' on it to identify the year of this nation's birth.

Original 13 Stars or "1st Navy Stars and Stripes" (1777-1795). The first documented U.S.A. flag was this staggered star pattern.

This version of the Colonial flag is the most well known and you are going to be hard pressed to find an American who does not consider Old Glory THE founding flag of our nation. On the Left is our modern popular version, on the right the original version (Star shapes are key).

The Flag that inspired our National Anthem

The War of 1812 also found this exotic flag, just no national anthems written about it. It would be a natural for a certain building in Washington, D.C.

This flag flew all over Tennessee from the day they received Statehood until 1818. It is still flown during special events like their Statehood day. It was never offically recongnized as a National Flag.

While the 'official' standard for the flag was one stripe for each star, this flag returned to the 13 stripes, still having 17 stars. There were 17 stripe flags as well in use. This only further proves the continued support for the idea to keep the stripes at 13. The 17th star is for the state of Ohio. An original flag is on display in the Ashville Area Heritage Society museum in Ashville, Ohio.

Another flag to honor the entrance of Ohio to the Union. Never an official flag.

For a short time in 1817 this flag flew above our U.S. Capital building. This was keeping with the pattern set in 1794 of adding one star and one stripe for every state. This gave the flag 18 stars and 18 stripes. Note that it ends with a white stripe.

This flag flew over the Capitol dome for at lease six months of 1818 and is recognized as an official flag of the United States of America.

There is no physical example of this flag available, however period writings describe this flag on several American-based Ships. Clearly not an offical flag, this example was developed by noted vexillologist, Dave Martucci

This beautiful 'upside down' star-within-a-star-within-a-star design is a fine example of early design variations. Akind to the "Circle within a circle" design, this one has a large star in the center, with five stars forming a star pattern around it and the remaining 20 stars forming a large star around them.

This Flag is like the one above, being a basic "Circle within a circle" design, just that the Great Star is 'right-side' up and tilted to the right a few degrees.

This flag has an enlarged canton with the stars forming a Meteror.

A Flag that sets a star in the middle to honor the entry of Michigan into the Union

Stars making a star with an 'old glory' ring of stars in the center. Our 30th state Wisconsin has a star in the center.

During the 1840's it was not yet common for the U.S. Army to carry the official flag. Each was known to have their own regiment banner or garrison flag. This flag was designed and made by the wife of General John Fremont for use during his explorations of the far western parts of the continental United States. This flag can be seen at the Southwest Museum in Los Angeles.

This flag was used by the Navy. The basic format of this flag, with the large single star in the middle, was used from around 1778 to 1880. This version is from the 1850s. This design is based on the 'square' canton flags as recorded by the painter John Trumbull in 1778 and 1781.

Little is known about this flag from the mid-to-late 1850s. It may well be the case of a quickly needed flag and no professional flag maker in the area. While the stars appear to be just scattered like they were dropped and smoothed out, the stitching appear to be rather professional which suggests some design in mind. A design lost to time.

A flag used to honor California.

Circle within a Circle with a Great Star in the Middle and a star in each corner

The 33 Star Garrison Flag that flew over Fort Sumter has been called the flag that started a war.

Honoring the addition of Oregon as our 33rd state in 1859, this flag was patterned after the Reid "Great Star" of 1818.

Cannon Ball Flying or Shooting Meteror. Attractive flag but the source is unknown

Not an official flag by any means, this campaign advertisement is a sample of the type of use of our flag that was later to be banned. Notice the choice of one star in each corner and the "Betsy Ross" circle of stars"

The "Great Flower" flag, also known as "The Candy Stripe" flag because of the red and white "candy stripe" running down the left side. The designer and locations that used this 1861-1863 flag are unknown.

This flag again used the "Betsy Ross" style of an inner circle of 11 stars with an outer circle of 19 stars and one star in each corner of the canton. This flag appears in several drawings of the period showing that it was used rather widely.

Five clusters of six stars each with the final four stars being on the top, sides and bottom, centered. This flag shows great care in its design and in the making of it. The five clusters of stars form a St. Andrews cross and the other four for a St. George cross. The designer is lost to history.

A rather mixed canton makes a very different design here. Could this be a Ariel bomb? A bugle? This flag was not used widely with only a few confirmed uses as a garrison flag.

This "Wagon Wheel" design is another sample of a circle of stars with an inner design. A close look will reveal a circle of stars within the outer circle with a five-point 'star cluster' in the middle.

The "Betsy Ross" circle of 13 stars are in the inner ring to identify the original 13 colonies, and an outer circle of 24 stars identify the states that have joined the union since that time. This flag was one of many that was made to celebrate the upcoming First Centennial.

Once again, the inner ring of 13 stars are to identify the original states with all the other stars standing for the states to join after that time - Except for the Center Star, which is for the 38th state, Colorado! This short-lived flag was introduced on the day they became a state, August 1, 1876.

Here is an example of a well thought out tribute to our First Centennial. Flying normally, the stars form the St. Andrew Cross. However, drape the flag from a stand or on a wall and the stars form an hourglass with two stars going into the bottom, representing two centuries.

Another example of a tribute to our First Centennial shows an attempt to plan the size of the stars so that they fill as much of the blue canton as possible.

39 Star - 13 Stripe flag from 1890 - Not an offical flag! The 39th State is North Dakota.

Now here's design with the future in mind. Could this have been a plan to add another 5 stars to the same flag? or could it have been a case of adding two stars to a 42-star flag? This hand-made flag was one of the last variations as the executive orders of 1912 began to settle in as the standard across the land.

Here are 3 verified examples of 45 Star flags that were made and used in the private sector. These would have been in use during 1896-1908. They do conform to the rules of flag-making of the day, but there is no history of their Federal use at this time.

And here are 3 verified examples of 46 Star flags that were made and used in the private sector. These would have been in use during 1908-1912. They do conform to the rules of flag-making of the day, but there is no history of their Federal use at this time.

And here's 2 verified examples of 48 Star flags that were made and used in the private sector. These would have been in use only shorly during and after 1912. The Executive orders issued by President Taft in 1912 set the exact proportions of the flag and set a national standard. These orders were later replaced by Public Law 829 on June 14, 1923. That means these flags would be classified as 'exotic' flags since they did not conform to the new standards.

A noted vexillologist (flag historian), Dave Martucci created this flag which I can only assume was to celebrate our 200th anniversary.

This is one entry sent to the 1959 Congressional Flag Design Committee. Not a winner, and never done in cloth (that I can find) but it is still an eye-catching design.

When the drive to award the Philippines with statehood began, the powers-that-be designed a 51 star flag that would be used. In fact they designed flags with up to 56 stars for the future. So far, it appears that the majority of both American and Philippines citizens are not ready for their statehood.

There's also a drive for Puerto Rico to become a state. They even created their own 51 star flag that has a very nice canton.

An amature vexillologist, Sean R. Richardson designed this 51-Star flag in 2003, just as an Idea. Taking out the middle star creates another 50-star design.