Why does the U.S. flag have 13 stripes?

The U.S. flag has 13 stripes to represent the 13 original colonies that declared independence from Great Britain in 1776. These colonies—Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Virginia—were the first to establish themselves as states in the newly formed United States. The stripes alternate in red and white, symbolizing the valor and purity associated with these early settlements.

Other answer choices relate to significant aspects of U.S. history but do not accurately reflect the reason behind the design of the flag's stripes. The number of states in the union and the number of amendments refers to different historical contexts, and while stars can indicate states and symbols of unity, they are separate from the specific historical representation of the stripes.