During the American Revolutionary War, several patriots made flags for our new nation. Among them was Elizabeth "Betsy" Ross, the best known of these persons. There is no proof Betsy made the first Stars and Stripes, but she did make flags for the Pennsylvania State Navy in 1777.

The flag known as the Betsy Ross Flag, which arranged the stars in a circle, did not appear until the early 1790s.

To make a Betsy Ross Flag, use the pattern above and follow the steps in the instructions. Because Congress did not say how the stars were to be placed, patriots used various star arrangements and even other types of stars, such as six-, seven-, and eight-pointed stars. You can do the same! Go to the Star Patterns page for different stars for your flag's union.