In what year was the current 50-star U.S. flag officially adopted?

The current 50-star U.S. flag was officially adopted on July 4, 1960. This version of the flag represents the 50 states that are part of the United States following the admission of Hawaii into the Union on August 21, 1959. The stars on the flag are arranged in nine rows of alternating five and six stars.

This choice is consistently associated with the historic event of Hawaii’s statehood, marking an important milestone in the representation of the states within the nation's symbol. As each new state has joined the Union throughout U.S. history, the flag has been modified accordingly, making the 50-star flag the most recent version, adopted shortly after the last state was added.

In conclusion, the year 1959 is significant as it marks the admission of Hawaii, although the official adoption of the flag itself occurred the following year. Therefore, this question emphasizes the understanding of both the timeline of state admissions and the corresponding changes to the national flag.