The United States flag has 13 stripes because there were 13 original colonies. Today, the United States is an independent country. Before that, it was 13 separate colonies. Great Britain governed the 13 colonies. The 13 colonies worked together to fight the British. They won the War of Independence in 1783. The colonies became an independent country, called the United States of America. The 13 original colonies became the first states. The flag has 13 stripes to represent the 13 original colonies.