2008 civics test · Question 96 of 100 · Symbols
Why does the flag have 13 stripes?
In Chinese 为什么国旗上有 13 道条纹？
Official answers
- because there were 13 original colonies因为当初有 13 个殖民地
- because the stripes represent the original colonies因为条纹代表最初的殖民地
Any one of these answers is accepted unless the question asks for more than one.
Why this is the answer
The American flag has 13 red and white stripes because there were 13 original colonies that declared independence from Great Britain and became the first states. The number of stripes stays at 13 to honor them, even though the country now has many more states.
Also on the 2025 test as question 121
Source: USCIS 100 Civics Questions (PDF)