Hello, I'm Dr. Emily Carter, a historian specializing in the history of the United States flag. It's a fascinating topic, full of symbolism and evolution, reflecting the changing landscape of our nation.

When you ask about the number of stars on the American flag in 2017, you're asking about a specific point in time. The American flag is a living symbol, constantly evolving with the addition of new states. Each star represents a state in the Union.

Let's delve into the history of the flag to understand the answer to your question. The original flag, designed by Betsy Ross in 1776, had thirteen stars representing the thirteen original colonies. Over the years, as new states were admitted to the Union, the flag underwent several changes, each adding a new star.

The flag with 48 stars was adopted in 1912, and remained unchanged until 1959, when Alaska became the 49th state. The flag with 49 stars was only in use for a short time, as Hawaii joined the Union in 1959, making it the 50th state and changing the flag once again to the 50-star design we see today.

Therefore, in 2017, the American flag had 50 stars representing the 50 states of the United States.

This flag design has remained unchanged since 1959. It is a testament to the enduring spirit of unity and strength that binds our nation.
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The 50 stars on the flag represent the 50 states of the United States of America, and the 13 stripes represent the thirteen British colonies that declared independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain, and became the first states in the U.S. Nicknames for the flag include The Stars and Stripes, Old Glory, and The Star ...read more >>