1. THERE ARE SEVEN RED STRIPES AND SIX WHITE STRIPES, STRIPES AT THE TOP AND BOTTOM
ARE BOTH RED.
2. THE BLUE AREA IS CALLED THE FIELD,UNION OR CANTON.
3. THERE ARE SEVEN SHORT STRIPES AND SIX LONG ONES.
4. THE FIFTY STARS ARE ARRANGED IN FIVE ROWS OF SIX STARS ALTERNATED WITH FOUR ROWS
OF FIVE STARS.
5. THE ADDITION OF STRIPES AND STARS WAS ABANDONED WHEN THERE WERE FIFTEEN
STRIPES ON THE FLAG. SEE THE NEXT ANSWER.
6. FIFTEEN STARS (AND FIFTEEN STRIPES) ADORNED THE FLAG THAT INSPIRED OUR NATIONAL
ANTHEM. THERE WERE MORE THAT FIFTEEN STATES AT THE TIME. BUT IT WAS NOT UNTIL 1818
THAT CONGRESS ENACTED A RETURN TO THIRTEEN STRIPES AND THE ADDITION OF STARS FOR
NEW STATES.
7. SIX POINTS. ACCORDING TO LEGEND, BETSY ROSS ONLY KNEW HOW TO SEW A PATTERN FOR
MAKING SIX POINTED STARS, BUT GEORGE WASHINGTON SHOWED HER A WAY TO CONSTRUCT
ONE FOR FIVE-POINTED STARS INSTEAD, WHICH HE FELT WERE MORE AESTHETICALLY PLEASING.
8. NEVER!!! ON CERTAIN HOLIDAYS AND DURING OFFICIAL PERIODS OF MOURNING, THE FLAG IS
FLOWN AT HALF-STAFF, NOT HALF-MAST, UNLESS THE PUBLIC BUILDING HAPPENS TO BE A SHIP.
(THIS IS KNOWN AS A TRICK QUESTION)
9. THE UNION JACK, FLAG OF GREAT BRITAIN. THE ST. ANDREW'S CROSS ON THE BRITISH FLAG
REFLECTS THE ADDITION OF SCOTLAND AND IRELAND TO FORM THE UNITED KINGDOM
10. AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND USE SOUTHERN CONSTELLATIONS ON THEIR FLAGS. THE FLAG
OF LIBERIA, A COUNTRY FOUNDED BY FREED AMERICAN SLAVES, HAS A SINGLE STAR AND IS
PATTERNED AFTER THE AMERICAN FLAG. THE FLAG OF BRAZIL ALSO HAS STARS ON IT. THERE ARE
APPROXIMATELY 54 OTHERS AS WELL. SOME HAVE FOUR, FIVE, SIX, AND EVEN SEVEN POINTED
STARS.