The history of the first American flag is still under debate, though historians collectively dispute Betsy Ross' claim of sewing the first in 1776.

The earliest known facts about the American flag's history date to June 14, 1777, when the Continental Congress passed the Flag Act. It declared that the American flag would consist of 13 alternating red and white stripes, and contain 13 white stars to represent the 13 original colonies against a blue background to show a new "constellation" among the nations of the world.

The stars in the design represent the heavens and the divine goals of humans; the stripes symbolize the rays of light emanating from the sun. Of the colors, red represents hardness and valor, white represents purity and innocence, and blue shows perseverance, vigilance and justice.

One of the earliest, and largest, American flags was created for Gen. George Armistead, who successfully led the defense of Baltimore's Fort McHenry from the British assault of 1814 during the War of 1812. Armistead declared that he needed a flag so large that the British would have no trouble seeing it, and Baltimore resident Mary Pickersgill and her daughter were commissioned to sew it. The flag had eight red stripes, seven white stripes and 15 white stars, and measured 30 feet by 42 feet.

Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, several amendments to the Flag Act allowed for new stars to be added to the flag each time a new state was added to the country. Today, the flag consists of 13 stripes - seven red and six white - representing the 13 colonies and 50 stars to represent each state. June 14 still is celebrated as Flag Day.

In addition to inspiring "The Star Spangled Banner," written by Francis Scott Key after the British assault on Fort McHenry in Baltimore, the nation's symbol also inspired other songs, including George M. Cohan's "You're a Grand Old Flag."