Why does the flag have 13 stripes?

The flag has 13 stripes to represent the original 13 colonies that declared independence from Great Britain. These colonies—Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Virginia, New York, North Carolina, and Rhode Island—came together to form the United States. This design serves as a reminder of the country's founding and its historical roots, and it symbolizes the unity of these colonies as they transitioned from separate entities into a single nation.

The other options do not accurately reflect the reasons behind the stripes. While the flag does incorporate a representation of 50 stars to symbolize the states in the union, the 13 stripes specifically commemorate the original colonies. Mentions of amendments or historical battles do not pertain to the specific feature of the flag that consists of the stripes, which are fundamentally linked to the history of the nation’s formation.