Flag Day commemorates the origins of the United States' flag in 1777 — but that's not when the holiday began. On June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress approved the design of a national flag.

Each time a new state joins the United States, a new star gets added to the flag. For example, when Hawaii became the 50th state in 1959, the 50th star was added to the flag the following year.

Why is the U.S. flag at half staff today? The United States flag should be flown at half staff on May 15, 2025, in honor of Peace Officers Memorial Day. What is Peace Officers Memorial Day?