List of flags of the United States

File:US historical flags-United States of America.jpg

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

Historical progression of designs

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.

Executive branch flags

Department of Defense

National Guard Bureau

Civil Air Patrol

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.

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

File:United States state flags, territory flags, and DC flags24.png

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

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.

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. (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.

Maritime flags

Ensigns

National

Since 1777, the national ensign 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.

Associated state flags

While the countries mentioned are recognized independent nations with United Nations seats, the United States maintains and exercises jurisdictional control over the countries in defense, security, and funding grants.

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
• United States Flag Code

External links

• The History of U.S. Flags (YouTube) (Slideshow on U.S. National Flags Historical Progression)
• History of the flags Template:In lang
• United States Minor Outlying Islands at Flags of the World