What do the stars on the American flag mean (details inside)

I already know the stars represent the states. And I already know the current flag originates from the Betty Ross flag, which contained 13 stars arranged in a circle. What I don’t know is why it has to be stars. Why can’t it be something else, like some white dots? White dots are much easier to embroider or so I thought, and they could represent the same thing.

I found this article on the net, which says “The star is a symbol of the heavens and the divine goal to which man has aspired from time immemorial; the stripe is symbolic of the rays of light emanating from the sun.” But it’s the only article on the Internet I could find that actually talks about the choice of stars, so I’m not sure if it’s accurate.

Can the US jellies help me understand this?