Tuesday, April 7, 2026

Question: What did the first U.S. flag reflecting Ohio’s statehood look like?

Answer: A 20-star, 13-stripe flag adopted in 1818 marked the addition of Tennessee, Ohio, Louisiana, Indiana, and Mississippi to the Union. From Ohio’s statehood in 1803 until 1818, the U.S. flew a 15-star, 15-stripe flag—the one that inspired Francis Scott Key’s The Star-Spangled Banner.