The United States flag features a total of 13 stripes. These stripes are arranged in alternating red and white colors to represent the original 13 colonies that declared independence from Great Britain. The flag also has a blue canton containing 50 white stars, which symbolize the 50 states of the Union. The stripes are an essential element of American symbolism, with red symbolizing valor and bravery, white representing purity and innocence, and blue denoting vigilance, perseverance, and justice. The flag has undergone several changes since its inception but has remained a powerful national symbol of unity and freedom.