When Was Tennessee Added to the US Flag? The 16th Star

Tennessee's Star on the American Flag

Tennessee was not "added to the flag" as a separate event. Rather, when Tennessee became the 16th state on June 1, 1796, the flag was updated to include a 16th star – but this didn't happen immediately.

The Timeline

• June 1, 1796: Tennessee admitted as 16th state
• 1796–1818: Flag remained at 15 stars/15 stripes (1795 design for VT, KY)
• April 4, 1818: Flag Act of 1818 signed by President Monroe
• July 4, 1818: New 20-star flag official (5 states added since 1795: TN, OH, LA, IN, MS)

The Flag Act of 1818

This pivotal legislation established the enduring rule:

• 13 stripes (original colonies) – permanent
• Stars = number of states
• New stars added July 4th following admission

So When Did Tennessee Get Its Star?

July 4, 1818 – 22 years after statehood. The 20-star flag included Tennessee's star along with Ohio (1803), Louisiana (1812), Indiana (1816), and Mississippi (1817).

Visual Evolution

• 1777: 13 stars, 13 stripes (Betsy Ross design)
• 1795: 15 stars, 15 stripes (VT, KY) – "Star-Spangled Banner" flag
• 1818: 20 stars, 13 stripes (TN, OH, LA, IN, MS added)
• 1819–Present: Stars added each July 4th after new statehood
• 1960: 50 stars (Hawaii, 1959) – current flag

Why the Delay?

Early flag changes required Congressional acts. The 1795 act added stars and stripes. By 1818, with 20 states, adding stripes was impractical. The 1818 Act created the systematic, automatic process we use today.

Tennessee's star has been on every US flag since July 4, 1818 – from the 20-star to today's 50-star version.