United States
Authority: Executive Order 10834
The official US flag features a 10:19 hoist-to-fly aspect ratio specified in Executive Order 10834. Standard colors are Old Glory Red (Pantone 193 C / Cable No. 70180) and Old Glory Blue (Pantone 281 C / Cable No. 70075).
| Parameter / Specification | Standard Value | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Hoist to Fly Ratio | 10 : 19 (1 : 1.90) | - |
| Union Canton Width | 0.76 of hoist | - |
| Old Glory Red Pantone | Pantone 193 C | - |
| Old Glory Blue Pantone | Pantone 281 C | - |
History & Origin
The Continental Congress adopted the first official design for the US flag on June 14, 1777, now marked annually as Flag Day, specifying 13 alternating red and white stripes and 13 white stars on a blue field to represent the original states -- but the resolution did not specify how the stars should be arranged, so early flags show a variety of star patterns. The popular story that Betsy Ross sewed the first flag at George Washington's request was first told publicly by her grandson nearly a century after the fact, and it is not accepted as established history by mainstream historians and vexillologists today.
The flag has been formally redesigned many times as states joined the union, but its precise geometry -- proportions, canton size, and colors -- was not fixed by federal order until the 20th century. Executive Order 10834, issued in 1959 after Hawaii's statehood, set the current 10:19 hoist-to-fly ratio and the 50-star arrangement still in use.