Flags originated on battlefields as a means of identification and hierarchy. Over the years, they have evolved ... The 14 red-and-white stripes as well as the 14 arms in the star represent the ...

However, they have distinct differences, such as the Australian flag featuring five white stars and a larger "commonwealth" ...

Until the Executive Order of June 24, 1912, neither the order of the stars nor the proportions of the flag was prescribed. Consequently, flags dating before this period sometimes show unusual ...