# old glory

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-glory/141051>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 6, 2002, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-glory/141051 "2002-12-06T23:36:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![squid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@squid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squid)\
**Post date:** [December 6, 2002, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-glory/141051/1 "2002-12-06T23:36:53Z")

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I understand that the 13 stripes on the American flag represent the “13 original colonies”…so why 50 stars? Seems like the 13 original colonies are hogging a lot of Old Glory’s space.

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**Author:** ![Swede\_Hollow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3bc359/32.png) [@Swede\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swede_Hollow)\
**Post date:** [December 7, 2002, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-glory/141051/2 "2002-12-07T00:42:48Z")

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There is one star for each state in the U.S. and having the thirteen stripes so prominent makes the flag always look more-or-less the same. The stripes are a reminder of our small start, but they also make the flag look basically the same whether there are 48 stars (1912 - 1959), 50 stars (like now), or if we add a state or two in the future.

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**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\
**Post date:** [December 7, 2002, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-glory/141051/3 "2002-12-07T00:52:18Z")

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**squid** old chap, it’s considered bad form to deliberately post the same question twice, _especially_ when you post it with a misleading title:

[who’s sexier?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=148610)