2008 test · Question 96 of 100
Why does the flag have 13 stripes?
Official USCIS answers
- because there were 13 original colonies
- because the stripes represent the original colonies
Why this is the answer
The first American states began as 13 British colonies. The flag keeps 13 stripes to honor those original colonies.
💡 Memory tip: 13 stripes = 13 original colonies.
This is the 2008 test, for N-400s filed before October 20, 2025. Filed on or after that date? Use the 2025 test.
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Source: USCIS, Civics (History and Government) Questions for the Naturalization Test (rev. 01/19).