<P> The three white background areas of the flag represent, from top to bottom, the North, West and South sides of the city . The top blue stripe represents Lake Michigan and the North Branch of the Chicago River . The bottom blue stripe represents the South Branch of the river and the "Great Canal", over the Chicago Portage . The lighter blue on the flag is variously called sky blue or pale blue; in a 1917 article of a speech by Rice, it was called "the color of water". </P> <P> There are four red six - pointed stars on the center white stripe . Six - pointed stars are used because five - pointed stars represent sovereign states, and because the star as designed was not found on any other known flags as of 1917 . From left to right: </P> <Ul> <Li> The first star represents Fort Dearborn . It was added to the flag in 1939 . Its six points symbolize transportation, labor, commerce, finance, populousness, and salubrity . </Li> <Li> The second star stands for the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, and is original to the 1917 design of the flag . Its six points represent the virtues of religion, education, aesthetics, justice, beneficence, and civic pride . </Li> <Li> The third star symbolizes the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893, and is original to the 1917 design . Its six points stand for political entities Chicago has belonged to and the flags that have flown over the area: France, 1693; Great Britain, 1763; Virginia, 1778; the Northwest Territory, 1789; Indiana Territory, 1802; and Illinois (territory, 1809, and state, since 1818). </Li> <Li> The fourth star represents the Century of Progress Exposition (1933--34), and was added in 1933 . Its points refer to bragging rights: the United States' second largest city (became third largest in a 1990 census when passed by Los Angeles); Chicago's Latin motto, Urbs in horto ("City in a garden"); Chicago's "I Will" motto; the Great Central Marketplace; Wonder City; and Convention City . </Li> </Ul> <Li> The first star represents Fort Dearborn . It was added to the flag in 1939 . Its six points symbolize transportation, labor, commerce, finance, populousness, and salubrity . </Li>

What do the stars on the chicago flag represent