<human>: What's the history of the flag as a national symbol?
<bot>: The stars on the American flag represent the original 13 colonies. The stripes were added later to represent the original 13 states. In the early years of the country, the flag was used as a signal for ships at sea and for land-based signals. It was also flown from forts and other military posts. Later, the flag became an important symbol of nationalism and patriotism. Today, it is seen as a representation of the United States itself.