List of flags of the United States facts for kids

A 2.00 m × 1.70 m oil painting showing historical USA 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.

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

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  Flag of the Navy

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  Flag of the Chief of Naval Operations

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  Flag of the Vice Chief of Naval Operations

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  Flag of the Navy Fleet admiral

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  Flag of an unrestricted line (URL) Navy admiral (staff corps flag officers have white flags with the appropriate number of blue stars in an identical pattern as URL admiral's flags).

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  Flag of an URL Navy vice admiral

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  Flag of an URL Navy rear admiral

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  Flag of an URL Navy rear admiral (lower half)

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  Christian naval worship pennant

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  Jewish naval worship pennant

Marine Corps

Department of the Air Force

Air Force

Space Force

Department of Justice

Department of the Interior

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  Flag of the Department of the Interior

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  Flag of the Secretary of the Interior

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  Flag of the Deputy Secretary of the Interior

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  Flag of the National Park Service

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  Guidon of the National Park Service

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  Flag of the Bureau of Indian Affairs

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  Flag of the Fish and Wildlife Service

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  Flag of the Bureau of Land Management

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  Flag of the Geological Survey

Department of Agriculture

Department of Commerce

Department of Labor

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

Map showing the flags of the 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and the 5 major 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 Mississippi (November 3, 2020, officially January 11, 2021), 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.

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  Flag of Alabama
  (February 16, 1895)

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  Flag of Alaska
  (May 2, 1927)

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  Flag of Arizona
  (February 27, 1917)

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  Flag of Arkansas
  (February 26, 1913)

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  Flag of California
  (February 3, 1911)

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  Flag of Colorado
  (June 5, 1911)

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  Flag of Connecticut
  (September 9, 1897)

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  Flag of Delaware
  (July 24, 1913)

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  Flag of Florida
  (May 6, 1868)

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  Flag of Georgia
  (February 19, 2003)

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  Flag of Hawaii
  (December 29, 1845)

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  Flag of Idaho
  (March 12, 1907)

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  Flag of Illinois
  (September 17, 1969)

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  Flag of Indiana
  (May 11, 1917)

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  Flag of Iowa
  (March 29, 1921)

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  Flag of Kansas
  (September 24, 1961)

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  Flag of Kentucky
  (March 26, 1918)

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  Flag of Louisiana
  (November 22, 2010)

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  Flag of Maine
  (February 23, 1909)

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  Flag of Maryland
  (March 9, 1904)

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  Flag of Massachusetts
  (July 3, 1971)

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  Flag of Michigan
  (August 1, 1911)

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  Flag of Minnesota
  (August 2, 1983)

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  Flag of Mississippi
  (January 11, 2021)

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  Flag of Missouri
  (March 22, 1913)

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  Flag of Montana
  (July 1, 1981)

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  Flag of Nebraska
  (July 16, 1963)

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  Flag of Nevada
  (July 25, 1991)

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  Flag of New Hampshire
  (1931)

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  Flag of New Jersey
  (May 11, 1896)

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  Flag of New Mexico
  (March 15, 1925)

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  Flag of New York
  (April 2, 1901)

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  Flag of North Carolina
  (March 9, 1885)

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  Flag of North Dakota
  (March 11, 1911)

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  Flag of Ohio
  (May 9, 1902)

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  Flag of Oklahoma
  (April 2, 1925)

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  Flag of Oregon (obverse)
  (April 15, 1925)

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  Flag of Oregon (reverse)

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  Flag of Pennsylvania
  (June 13, 1907)

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  Flag of Rhode Island
  (November 1, 1897)

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  Flag of South Carolina
  (January 26, 1861)

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  Flag of South Dakota
  (November 9, 1992)

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  Flag of Tennessee
  (April 17, 1905)

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  Flag of Texas
  (January 25, 1839)

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  Flag of Utah
  (February 16, 2011)

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  Flag of Vermont
  (June 1, 1923)

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  Flag of Virginia
  (March 28, 1912)

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  Flag of Washington
  (March 5, 1923)

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  Flag of West Virginia
  (March 7, 1929)

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  Flag of Wisconsin
  (May 1, 1981)

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  Flag of Wyoming
  (January 31, 1917)

Current federal district flag

Current territory flags

Uninhabited territory flags

The U.S. national flag is the official flag for all islands, atolls, and reefs composing the United States Minor Outlying Islands. However, unofficial flags have been used for two of these nine insular areas:

County flags

City flags

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.

States

Other

Jacks

Native American tribal flags

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.

Historical flags

American Revolutionary War

Former federal flags

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  Flag of the President (1899)

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  Flag of the President (1902)

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  Flag of the President (1916)

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  Flag of the President (1945)

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  Flag of the Vice President (1915)

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  Flag of the Vice President (1936)

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  Flag of the Vice President (1948)

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  Flag of the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey (1899–1970)

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  Flag of the Environmental Science Services Administration (1965–1970)

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  Flag of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (until 2003)

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  Flag of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (until 2003)

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  Flag of the Immigration and Naturalization Service

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  Flag of the Department of the Interior (until 1917)

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  Flag of the General Services Administration (1972–1973)

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  Flag of the General Services Administration (1973–1989)

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  Flag of the Secretary of the Interior (1917–1934)

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  Infantry Battalion flag (de facto flag of the U.S. Navy until 1959)

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  Flag of the Secretary of Labor (1915–1960)

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  Flag of the Department of Labor (1915–1960)

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  Flag of the Secretary of the Treasury (1887–1915)

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  Flag of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare

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  Flag of the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare

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  Flag of the Under Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare

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  Flag of the Assistant Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare

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  Flag of the Public Health and Marine-Hospital Service

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  Flag of the Marine Hospital Service

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  Flag of the Bureau of Navigation (?–1946)

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  Flag of the Director of the Bureau of Marine Inspection and Navigation (?–1946)

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  Ensign of the Revenue-Marine (1799)

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  Ensign of the Revenue-Marine (1815)

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  Ensign of the Revenue-Marine (1836)

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  Ensign of the Revenue-Marine (1841)

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  Ensign of the Revenue-Marine (1867)

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  Ensign of the Revenue-Marine (1868)

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  Ensign of the Coast Guard (1915–1953)

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  Flag of the Coast Guard Auxiliary (1940–1968)

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  Flag of the Office of Homeland Security (2001–2002)

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  Flag of the National Imagery and Mapping Agency

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  Flag of the General Accounting Office

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  Boat flag (1912–1916)

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  Flag of U.S. Forces – Iraq (2010–2011)

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  Flag of the United States Bureau of Fisheries (?–1940)

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  Flag of the Commissioner of Fisheries (?–1940)

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  Pennant of the
  United States Life-Saving Service
  (?–1915)

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  Pennant of the United States Lighthouse Service
  (?–1939)

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  Flag of the Commissioner of Lighthouses
  (?–1939)

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  Flag of the Superintendent of Lighthouses
  (?–1939)

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  Flag of the Marine Corps
  (1914–1939)

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  Fort Sumter Flag (1861)

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  Flag of the Department of Transportation (1967–1980)

Other states

Former territories and administered areas