96. Why does the flag have 13 stripes?
Integrated Civics · Symbols
Accepted answer(s)
- because there were 13 original colonies
- because the stripes represent the original colonies
USCIS officers ask this on the 2008 Civics Test because understanding "integrated civics" is core to how the U.S. system works day to day. Memorize the exact answer above rather than a paraphrase — officers accept the wording USCIS publishes, and "because there were 13 original colonies" is the safest phrasing to say out loud in the interview.
This is question 96 of the 2008 Civics Test. See it on uscis.gov. This question is worded the same way on the 2025 Civics Test.