This Day in History: , Congress Adopts the br Stars and Stripes.br June 14, 1777.br The basic design for the br American flag was adopted br at the Continental Congress br during the American Revolution.br Legend has it seamstress br Betsy Ross sewed the br first flag at the request of br General George Washington.br The flag had thirteen br alternating red and white br stripes and thirteen stars set br in a circle against a blue field.br As new states declared br their statehood, the flag br added both stars and stripes.br Congress restored the br original 13 stripes in the br early 1800s to represent br the original 13 colonies.