Why does the flag have 13 stripes?

On the 2008 test

The 2008 test asks this as Question 96, in the same words.

Answers listed for the 2008 question (2), next to the 2 above. Compare them before you study from an older list.

• because there were 13 original colonies
• because the stripes represent the original colonies

Background

The flag has 13 stripes for the 13 original colonies. The stripes tie today's flag back to the nation's founding.

From this site's page for 2008 Question 96.

The 65/20 special consideration

Question 121 is one of the 20 questions USCIS marks with an asterisk. An applicant who is 65 or older and has been a lawful permanent resident for 20 years or more may study only those 20; the officer asks 10 of them and 6 correct answers pass.

Answers that get mixed up with this one

These are the wrong options the 2025 practice test puts beside this question. Each one is the correct answer to a different 2025 question.

• Apacheanswers Question 117: Name one American Indian tribe in the United States.
• New York (Harbor)answers Question 120: Where is the Statue of Liberty?
• Self-governmentanswers Question 4: The U.S. Constitution starts with the words “We the People.” What does “We the People” mean?

More Symbols questions

• Question 119: What is the capital of the United States?Washington, D.C.
• Question 120: Where is the Statue of Liberty?New York (Harbor) · Liberty Island [Also acceptable are New Jersey, near New York City, and on the Hudson (River).]
• Question 122: Why does the flag have 50 stars?(Because there is) one star for each state · (Because) each star represents a state · (Because there are) 50 states
• Question 123: What is the name of the national anthem?The Star-Spangled Banner
• Question 124: The Nation’s first motto was “E Pluribus Unum.” What does that mean?Out of many, one · We all become one