Italian Flag

July 21, 2009 ~ Tommy McLaughlin ~ Leave a comment

The Italian flag as it is known today was adopted January 1, 1948; however, it has been in use since June 19, 1946. Often it is referred to in Italian as Il Tricolore because of its tricolor features of three equally sized vertical pales of green, white, and red.

Various people have ascribed particular ideals to the colors of the flag. Common interpretations have the green symbolizing the country’s plains and the hills. The white signifies the snow-capped Alps. Lastly, the red denotes the blood spilt in the Wars of Italian Independence. A religious interpretation is that the green is for hope, the white is for faith, and the red is for charity.

The protocol for the Italian flag is written in Article 12 of the Constitution. It follows Italy’s membership of the European Union and states the general provisions governing the use and display of the flag. When the flag is displayed alongside other flags, the national flag of Italy shall take the place of honor and it should be raised first and lowered last. Other national flags are arranged in an alphabetical order. Additional rules include that the flag should always be regarded with dignity and should never touch the ground or water.

The flag is flown from sunrise to sunset like many other country’s flags. It is not permitted to be displayed in bad weather and can only be flown at night if it is properly illuminated. A flag displayed outside can be flown at half-mast as a sign of mourning; however, other flags can have two black ribbons attached to show the sign of mourning.

Canadian Flag

July 21, 2009 ~ Tommy McLaughlin ~ Leave a comment

The National Flag of Canada, which is also known as the Maple Leaf, was adopted in 1965 and marked the first time a national flag had been officially adopted in Canada to replace the Union Flag. The Canadian flag wasn’t without controversy. The Canadian Red Ensign had been used “unofficially” since the 1890s and was even approved in 1945 by Order-in-Council for use in places where it made it desirable to fly a distinctive Canadian flag.

It wasn’t until 1964 when Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson put together a committee to resolve the flag issues, thus setting off a serious debate about a flag change. The final selection was designed by George F.G. Stanley and John Matheson. Their maple leaf design was based upon the flag of the Royal Military College of Canada.

The Maple Leaf flag made its debut on February 15, 1965 and that date is now Canada’s National Flag of Canada Day; celebrations occur annually. Although there is not a law that dictates the official use of the Canadian Flag, there are some guidelines to follow. The flag can be displayed on any day on buildings operated by the government, airports, diplomatic offices, military, and by citizens during any time of the day. When flying the Canadian flag, it must be on its own pole and cannot be inferior to other flags, except for (in descending order) the Queen’s Personal Standard, the Governor General’s Standard, any of the Personal Standards of the members of the Canadian royal family, or flags of the Lieutenant Governors.

Japan Flag

July 21, 2009 ~ Tommy McLaughlin ~ Leave a comment

The national flag of Japan is called Nisshoki, meaning sun flag; however, it is more commonly known as Hinomaru, meaning sun circle. The flag was officially adopted by the civil ensign with Proclamation 57 on February 27, 1870 during the Meiji Restoration. It wasn’t adopted nationally though, until August 13, 1999 by the Law Concerning the National Flag and Anthem.

Japan’s flag protocol calls for the flag to be flown from sunrise until sunset; however, a business or school is allowed to fly the flag from their opening to closing hours. The Cabinet Prime Minister of Japan is the official with authority to place the flag at half-staff.

The flying of the Japan flag is primarily limited to buildings associated with national and local governments, such as city halls. It is rarely connected with private homes or commercial businesses; although that is changing somewhat as time goes by and some citizens are advocating for exhibiting the flag on Japanese holidays.

When flying another country’s flag with the Japanese flag, Japan’s flag should take the position of honor and the other country should be flown to the right at the same height. If more than one other foreign flag is presented, the arrangement is in alphabet order prescribed by the United Nations.

Japan’s flag has a red circle within a middle of a white flag. The red circle symbolizes the sun and Japan is said to be “The Land of the Rising Sun.” The white of the flag denotes honesty and purity while the red “sun” signifies brightness, sincerity, and warmth.

Australia Flag

July 21, 2009July 21, 2009 ~ Tommy McLaughlin ~ Leave a comment

The Australian flag came into being on January 1, 1901 after the federation of the Australian States into the Commonwealth of Australia. The Commonwealth Blue Ensign was decided upon as a result of a competition from the public. And even though it was selected in 1901 and gazetted in 1903, it did not receive Royal assent and adoption until 1954 in the Flags Act of 1953.

The current Australia Flag consists of three components:

The Union Jack is in the upper left part of the flag which represents Australia’s historical link to Great Britain.
The Southern Cross is in the second quarter and fourth quarter of the flag. The stars represent the Southern Cross constellation which is a significant navigational feature of the southern hemisphere.
The Commonwealth Star or Star of Federation is the star central in the third quarter of the flag. The seven points of the star designate the six states and the combined territories of the Commonwealth.

Each of the six states of Australia has their own official state flag; the common feature being a blue ensign defaced with the badge of the state. The flags of the territories are more unique and individual in nature and they don’t have the blue ensign background like the states.

There are other flags in Australia besides the “official” flag:

The Queen’s Personal Flag for Australia
The Govern General’s Flag
The Eureka Flag
The Republican Movement
The Flag of Aboriginal Australia

According to the Australian government, “The Australian National Flag is Australia’s foremost national symbol. It was first flown in 1901 and has become an expression of Australian identity and pride.

The Australian National Flag flies over the federal and state parliaments. The flag is paraded by our defence forces and displayed around the country at sporting events and by service organisations, schools, community groups and private citizens.”

Old Glory

July 21, 2009 ~ Tommy McLaughlin ~ Leave a comment

It’s not uncommon to hear the flag of the United States referred to as Old Glory, though the origin of this nickname is not commonly known. The saga of Old Glory involves the history of a particular flag that played a symbolic role in the Civil War. The story begins sometime in the 1820s, when a large flag (10 feet by 17 feet) was presented to a young sea captain named William Driver. According to history, the flag was made by Captain Driver’s mother and a group of young women in Salem, Massachusetts and was designed to be flown from a ship’s mast. The flag featured 24 stars on its blue field, and a small anchor had been sewn near the stars to indicate that it was a ship’s flag.

Captain Driver used the flag on the whaling ship Charles Doggett during an around the world voyage in 1831-32. It was at this time that Driver began referring to the flag as Old Glory. Driver retired from the seafaring life in 1837 and moved to Nashville, Tennessee. Old Glory came with him and was displayed for all patriotic occasions, becoming famous among the citizens of Nashville. By this time the flag was showing quite a bit of wear and had been mended many times.

Additional stars had been added to Old Glory over the years as states joined the Union, so that the total number was 34 by 1861. It was in that year that the Civil War began and Tennessee seceded from the Union. Fearing an action against Old Glory by rebel forces, Driver had the foresight to hide the flag inside the comforter on his bed. Stitched into place, it remained there safely until Union troops reclaimed Nashville the following year. Driver brought out his flag and it was flown from the spire of the Tennessee State Capitol. Old Glory was saluted by the Sixth Ohio Regiment, who adopted the name Old Glory as their motto. This event was reported in many newspapers, bringing national fame to Old Glory.

William Driver died in 1886 at the age of 83. His grave in Nashville is one of only 3 places in the U.S. that has been designated by an Act of Congress to fly a flag perpetually. Old Glory was preserved as a Driver family heirloom until 1922, when it was presented to the Smithsonian Institute. Along with the flag which inspired Francis Scott Key to write The Star Spangled Banner, Old Glory is one of the most important historical flags preserved at the Smithsonian.

Vatican Flag

July 17, 2009 ~ Shana Kovatch ~ Leave a comment

Just like most other people, at first glance I would have never imagined that there was a flag specific to Vatican City. This is not the case however, as the current Vatican flag has been in place for over 70 years. The flag of the Vatican was originally adopted on June 7, 1929 by then Pope Pius XI. The flag was created as part of the treaty recognizing Vatican City as an independent state.

The Vatican flag is one of the most unique flags of any country or state in the entire world – in fact, there is only one other flag in the world like it. The Vatican flag consists of two vertical bands, one yellow and the other white. The interesting thing to note, however, is that the Vatican flag is actually square – one of only two flags in the world like this (the other being Switzerland).

On the right side of the Vatican flag sits the traditional Vatican City Coat of Arms, emblazoned upon a white background. The Vatican City Coat of Arms is a very symbolic representation of both the papacy and the Holy City. For example, there are two crossed keys displayed on the coat of arms; one gold and the other silver. The keys are symbolic of Matthew 16: 18-19, where God promises the keys of heaven to Saint Peter. Also displayed on the Vatican City Coat of Arms is the traditional tiara of the Papacy, a three-tiered crown. The three tiers of the crown are meant to symbolize the three functions of the priest; supreme priest, supreme pastor, and supreme teacher. Finally, displayed upon the top of the tiara is the traditional golden cross, representative of course of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. All in all, the flag of the Vatican is perhaps one of the most symbolic and meaningful flags of any country in the world.

Venezuela Flag

July 17, 2009 ~ Shana Kovatch ~ Leave a comment

The Venezuela flag was first designed over 200 years ago. The flag consists of a traditional tricolor design complete with a set of stars in the middle and the Venezuela coat of arms in the upper left.

The flag was originally designed by a man named Francisco de Miranda, a Venezuelan revolutionary. Miranda is most well known for his attempts to liberate Spanish America, and although he was not successful in his efforts he is widely regarded as the forerunner of Simon Bolivar, another well known revolutionary. It is widely noted that Francisco de Miranda created the current design for the Venezuela flag in the year 1806, after a failed attempt to liberate the Venezuelan people. Interestingly enough, de Miranda is said to have inspired the flags of Colombia and Ecuador as well.

The Venezuela flag is primarily a tricolor design of red, blue and yellow. In the flag, the color blue represents courage. The red represents independence from Spain, while the yellow band represents the wealth of the land. There was a collection of 7 stars in the center of the flag; however another star was added by Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez in 2006. The seven stars were originally intended to represent the seven provinces in Venezuela (Barcelona, Barinas, Caracas, Cumana, Margarita, Merida and Trujillo). These provinces originally united against Spain in the Venezuelan War for Independence, which lasted from 1811 until 1823.

The Venezuelan flag has experienced a number of changes during its history. In the early 19th century, the collection of seven stars was added to the blue band of the flag. In the year 1954, the Venezuelan Coat of Arms was added to the flag; however the coat of arms was not added to any civil or maritime flags. Finally, in the year 2006, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez ordered that an eighth star be placed upon the Venezuelan flag – a decision that has been met with heavy opposition.

Vietnam Flag

July 17, 2009 ~ Shana Kovatch ~ Leave a comment

The flag of Vietnam has a much storied history. Although the flag design itself has not changed much over the years, the Vietnam flag has withstood some very tumultuous political and economic events throughout the years of its existence.The design of the Vietnam flag is a very simple one – a bright yellow star emblazoned upon a bright red background. Although simple, the design of the flag does indeed have a very significant meaning. As can probably be guessed, the red background of the Vietnam flag was based upon the flag of the Communist Party. The yellow star does not have such an obvious meaning, however. Each point of the five pointed yellow star on the Vietnam flag represents a different segment of the Vietnamese people. The star is representative of the unity of peasants, workers, soldiers, traders and intellectuals all working together for the common good of socialism.

The Vietnam flag was not officially recognized as the “national flag” until August 18, 1945 at a meeting held in Northern Vietnam. Not long after, the Vietminh proclaimed Hanoi part of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam towards the end of World War II. A few years after, in the year 1954, the Democratic Republic of Vietnam became the government of North Vietnam, following the conditions of the Geneva Accord between France and Vietnam.

The current Vietnam flag would not fly over the entire country of Vietnam until over 20 years later. Northern and Southern Vietnam remained separate entities until North Vietnam overran Saigon in 1975. The current flag of Vietnam was adopted in 1975, and the entire country of Vietnam became the Socialist Republic of Vietnam shortly thereafter on July 2, 1976. The flag of Vietnam has perhaps endured one of the most tumultuous and difficult histories of any country in the modern world, and the flag has remained remarkably unchanged throughout it all.

Soviet Union Flag

July 17, 2009 ~ Shana Kovatch ~ 1 Comment

The flag of the former USSR may perhaps be one of the most well-known and infamous flags in the entire world. The design consists of the traditional hammer and sickle emblazoned upon a background of red. The first design for the Soviet Union flag was created adopted on November 12, 1923. There have been two slight modifications to the flag since that time, and the most recent flag of the Soviet Union flew from 1980 until the collapse of the Soviet Union a few years later.The colors of the Soviet Union flag have a very particular symbolism and meaning. The background of the flag is a bright red color – representative of the blood that has been shed by workers and farmers. The color red is also very indicative of Communism, which was the central ideology of the former Soviet Union government. The USSR flag contains an image of a yellow hammer and sickle placed in the top left hand corner of the flag. The image of the hammer and sickle is perhaps the most well known symbol of communism anywhere in the world. The hammer in the image is meant to symbolize the nation’s workforce (termed “Proletariats” by Karl Marx), and the sickle is representative of the nation’s agricultural industry, one of the most important industries in the entire Soviet Union. One final image appears above the hammer and sickle on the flag, and that is of a red star – an image indicative of the Communist rule.

The Soviet Union was the first country in the world to ever form any sort of communist government, thus the Soviet system became the basis for many other countries’ political ideologies. There have been many other world flags based upon the flag of the Soviet Union including the flags of the People’s Republic of China, North Vietnam, Yugoslavia, and Angola.

US Virgin Islands Flag

July 17, 2009 ~ Shana Kovatch ~ Leave a comment

The Virgin Islands were originally discovered and named by Christopher Columbus in the year 1493. The islands were originally named for Saint Ursula and her virgin followers, and they were under the control of at least 5 different European countries over the first 300 years of the islands’ existence (Spain, England, Netherlands, France and Denmark). The Virgin Islands were held under Danish control however, from the year 1672 until they were purchased by the United States on January 17, 1917. The United States took control of the territory on March 31st of that same year, thus the islands were officially renamed the Virgin Islands of the United States.

The Virgin Islands of the United States consist of a group of islands located in the Caribbean sea, about 90 miles east of Puerto Rico. The Virgin Islands are made up of many small islands; however the notable ones include the islands of Saint Croix, Saint John, Water Island, and Saint Thomas.

The United States Virgin Islands flag was officially adopted in the year 1921. The design is strikingly simple; it consists of little more than a simplified variant of the Seal of the United States of America placed atop a white background. To the immediate left and right of the seal on the flag sit the letters “V” and “I”, representing of course the name of the islands.

One interesting thing to note about the symbol on the flag is the three arrows being held by the eagle in its left talon. This is of course symbolic of the three major islands that make up the Virgin Islands – Saint Thomas, Saint John, and Saint Croix.

Also, interestingly enough, the original design was drawn by a cartoonist named Percival Wilson Sparks. Once approved, the design for the US Virgin Islands flag was embroidered by the cartoonist’s wife Grace – thus the flag was born.