Happy Flag Day!

You can read about the history of the United States flag, including relevant laws, at The Library of Congress's website.  Once there, click on the link for "June 14, 1777."  Then click on the link for the actual "Page image."  (Those URLs are too long to imbed here.)  You'll be smack dab in the middle of the Journals of Congress from June 14, 1777, where you can read Congress's original reference to the U.S. flag.  Clicking around the next few pages will provide some context, with references to John Paul Jones and the difficulty of getting salt to New Yorkers when all their ports were under British control.

(spl)