Question 121 of 128 · Symbols and Holidays · Symbols
Why does the flag have 13 stripes?
On the 65/20 list: one of the 20 questions for applicants 65 or older with 20 years as permanent residents.
Accepted answers
- (Because there were) 13 original colonies
- (Because the stripes) represent the original colonies
Any one of these is accepted, unless the question asks for more than one.
Why this is the answer
The flag has thirteen red and white stripes because there were thirteen original colonies, the ones that declared independence in 1776 and became the first thirteen states. Since 1818 the number of stripes has stayed at thirteen; when a new state joins, a star is added, not a stripe. Either official answer is accepted. Memory hook: stripes are the past, the thirteen colonies; stars are the present, the fifty states.