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Why does the flag have 13 stripes?

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Correct answer

For the 13 original colonies

  1. A For the 13th Amendment
  2. B For 13 presidents
  3. C For 13 states added last
  4. D For the 13 original colonies

Why this is the answer

The U.S. flag has 13 STRIPES because they represent the 13 ORIGINAL COLONIES that became the first 13 states. USCIS Civics Question: 'Why does the flag have 13 stripes?' — Accepted answers: because there were 13 original colonies; because the stripes represent the original colonies. The flag also has 50 STARS, one for each of the 50 current states. The 13 original colonies were: New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.
Source: USCIS Civics — Flag 13 Stripes

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About this topic: Symbols and Holidays

The flag, the national anthem, major holidays and what they commemorate. This is one of 3 Civics (100 Questions) questions on symbols and holidays, each with a full explanation on a single study page.

New to this exam? Our Citizenship exam guide explains the format, scoring, and how to prepare.

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