The American flag has stars to represent each state in the United States. Currently, the flag has 50 stars, one for each of the 50 states in the Union. This design has been in place since July 4, 1960, after Hawaii became the 50th state in 1959. The stars symbolize unity and equality among the states, arranged in nine alternating rows of five and six stars on a blue background called the "union." The flag’s stars have evolved over time starting from 13 stars, representing the original colonies, to the current 50 as new states were admitted to the country. The stripes on the flag represent the original 13 colonies that declared independence from Britain.