Flag of New Mexico

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The flag of New Mexico was adopted in 1925 after the Daughters of the American Revolution pushed New Mexico to design a contemporary and unique flag. A contest was held and the design chosen was created by Dr. Harry Mera of Santa Fe, New Mexico. The design has a red sun symbol of the Zia on a field of yellow. The colors honor Isabella of Castile.

New Mexico FlagThe symbol has definite meaning; four is a sacred number which symbolizes the Circle of Life: four winds, four seasons, four directions, and four sacred obligations. In a 2001 survey by the North American Vexillological Association, the New Mexico flag was chosen the best designed of any US state, territory, or Canadian province.

New Mexico statute says, “New Mexico Statutes Annotated 12-3-2. [Adoption of flag for state of New Mexico.] That a flag be and the same is hereby adopted to be used on all occasions when the state is officially and publicly represented, with the privilege of use by all citizens upon such occasions as they may deem fitting and appropriate. Said flag shall be the ancient Zia sun symbol of red in the center of a field of yellow. The colors shall be the red and yellow of old Spain. The proportion of the flag shall be a width of two-thirds its length. The sun symbol shall be one-third of the length of the flag. Said symbol shall have four groups of rays set at right angles; each group shall consist of four rays, the two inner rays of the group shall be one-fifth longer than the outer rays of the group. The diameter of the circle in the center of the symbol shall be one-third of the width of the symbol. Said flag shall conform in color and design described herein.”

Louisiana Flag

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The Louisiana Flag was originally created in the year 1912. However, it was recently updated in 2006 to its current design. The flag is a bit peculiar – much different than most other flags in the United States. On the Louisiana Flag sits an image of a family of pelicans, placed atop a blue background. Directly beneath the pelicans sit the words “UNION JUSTICE and CONFIDENCE”.

Louisiana FlagThe image in the center of the Louisiana Flag is commonly referred to as a “pelican in her piety”.  It depicts a mother pelican intentionally wounding herself in order to feed her babies with her own blood.  On the Louisiana Flag, it has been made official that the mother pelican should appear with three drops of blood coming out of her body.  Below the image sit the words “UNION JUSTICE and CONFIDENCE”, the state of Louisiana’s motto.

The symbol of the “pelican in her piety” has been used since medieval times.  The pelican was often thought of as being very attentive to her young, even to the point of wounding itself to feed them with its own blood whenever no other food was available.  The pelican has been used to represent many symbols and religions; most notably it has often been used to symbolize Jesus Christ.

Louisiana has had three major flags fly over it throughout the years, starting in the year 1861. Prior to this year, Louisiana did not have any official flag, though various flags were unofficially used.  The first of the flags of Louisiana was created in January, 1861 once the state succeeded from the American Union, before the Confederate States of America were created.  The state then adopted another design that was used until the end of the Civil War, and today’s current design for the Louisiana Flag was officially put into use in 1912.

Utah Flag

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by Sherri Smith

The current flag of Utah was adopted in 1913 and includes the Seal of Utah encircled in a golden circle on a background (ensign) of dark navy blue. The original Utah State Flag was adopted by the State Legislature in 1896 and revised in 1913. The beehive on the shield represents hard work and industry. The date 1847 is the year the Mormons made passage to Utah. A bald eagle, the United States national bird, settles atop the shield and symbolizes protection in peace and war. The sego lily is a symbol of peace and a U.S. flag appears on each side, symbolizing Utah’s unity to the nation.

Flag of UtahThe seal is the focus of the flag and is an integral part of the design of the flag. The great seal is described in Utah Code Annotated, 1953, Volume 7a, section 67-2-9 as follows:

“The Great Seal of the State of Utah shall be two and one-half inches in diameter, and of the following device; the center a shield and perched thereon an American Eagle with outstretching wings; the top of the shield pierced by six arrows crosswise; under the arrows the motto “INDUSTRY”; beneath the motto a beehive, on either side growing sego lilies; below the figures “1847”; on each side of the shield an American Flag.; encircling all, near the outer edge of the seal, beginning at the lower left-hand portion, the words, “THE GREAT SEAL OF THE STATE OF UTAH”, with the figures “1896” at the base.”

The design of the seal was adopted in 1850 by the Territory of Utah and modified by the artist Harry Edwards when Utah became a state in 1896.

Classroom Flag

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by Kathy McCarthy

Throughout history, we’ve marked our territory with a flag. Whether an invading army is planting its flag on its newly acquired spoils, or a man on the moon is claiming an entire planet, flags announce our presence.

Classroom FlagIn classrooms throughout the United States, our nation’s flag is a common sight. Occasionally, a classroom will have a full sized flag, but more often it will have a classroom flag. These flags measure two feet by three feet, and are the perfect size for getting noticed in a classroom without overpowering the room.

Visually, flags are a subtle reminder of who we are as a nation or as a state, and by extension who we are as a people. We learn our identity in many ways. Our parents teach us how to develop our morals. Our friends teach us how to develop our social skills, and our schools teach us how to develop not only our brains, but also our citizenship.

Our flag has come to symbolize our country’s freedom, which we can easily take for granted if we do not stop and remember from time to time that our freedom did not come easily. Our flag reminds us to pass this important information down to the next generation with the hopes that they can understand the past and continue to forge the future.

We are all citizens of a great nation. Even with all of its faults and shortcomings, our nation is amazing. We take care of our own, and we take care of most of the world as well. Are we perfect? Not by a long shot, but we keep trying.

Our flag reminds us that even though we are not perfect we are still great, as a nation and as a people. And whenever you see a flag in the classroom, that is what our children are learning. Without any words, it is just something that they will know

NFL Flags

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by Crystal Hammersley

There’s always a special feeling in the air around this of the year. It’s a feeling of excitement, anxiousness, and thrill of competition. Why? Because this past Sunday was the first NFL pre-season game, which means that the regular football season is only a few more weeks away!

Steelers Garden FlagOn Sunday evening, like two little children looking through a toy catalog and circling things we want for Christmas, my husband and I grabbed the latest issue of sports illustrated (which has a great breakdown of what players they think will be the top performers this year) and headed into the living room for kickoff.

We watched to see who looks good, who doesn’t, and what rookies look promising, all in an attempt to decide who we should draft for our fantasy football teams this year.

Living near Pittsburgh and being a Steelers fan is great. Just going to the grocery store to pick up dinner, I pass numerous displays of Steelers mugs, windows stickers, hats, jerseys and tons of other Steelers merchandise.

My Husband, however, is a San Francisco 49ers fan. Being over 2,000 miles away from his favorite team’s city means not only does he rarely ever get to watch them play, but we also never see his team’s merchandise in stores. We have to rely on shopping over the internet to help him support his team.

The United States Flag Store has a lot of great NFL products, including these new NFL flags. I couldn’t help myself and bought 2 of them, one for each of our teams, since I’ve never seen these in stores. The flags look great hanging on our wall, and are a great addition to my husband’s NFL hard hat and the other 49ers memorabilia he has on display. We’re also considering getting the garden flags for our front yard!

Whether your team is the face of your town or all the way across the country, you should check out these unique NFL items. You should especially take a minute to check out the tailgating flagpole which allows you to fly your flag during tailgate parties! They make great gifts too!

Garden Flags

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by Ed Horne

If you’re anything like me, when someone says the word “flag”, you automatically think of the American flag with its beautiful fifty stars and red and white strips. Well, if that’s true, it’s time we both started thinking outside the box!

Fall FlagFlags have come a long way and represent various things such as states, countries, sport teams, military units, religious symbols and much more. In addition to great variety, flags are now available in various sizes. One of my favorite items is the garden flag because it’s relatively small – they’re usually in the range of 12” x 18”. I find that their smaller size also makes them more affordable, which means I can purchase more flags for my money! Garden flags, like traditional flags, are available in a variety of themes. It has never been easier to show my support for my favorite football team (Go Steelers!) or to celebrate when all the neighborhood kids return to school. Soon, it will be time to pull out my Fall flags – at my house we love pumpkins and Halloween – and start decorating for the season! Another great garden flag feature is that the flags hang on an attractive garden pole, which I can pick up and move to any location in my garden. The flags are easy to swap out and are easy to store.

If you aren’t the type of person who likes these “miniature” flags, many of the same themes are available in a larger decorative banner style. Banners are typically 28” x 40” in size and are slightly more expensive than garden flags. Still bold and beautiful, these flags are hung using a flag pole kit which includes a bracket that mounts to the side of your home. These decorative flags are the perfect size to celebrate any occasion.

If you don’t already have a flag collection of your own there is no better time to start one! With Summer coming to a close, new Fall and back to school flags are sure to be in high demand.

Solar Powered Flag Light

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When passing by a court house or post office, you might stop some times and gaze at the giant flag waving proudly out front. Regardless of what your feelings are about the government and politicians, or any current event going on in our country, there’s still something humbling about that red, white, and blue symbol of freedom. We should all take a moment no and then to admire the US flag, and to make sure our children and grand children know what the United States flag stands for.

Solar Powered Flag LightProud Americans will often show their stubborn respect for this nation’s history by displaying that flag in his or her own home. But sometimes, that’s just not enough. If you look at a US flag posted outside a government building, you’ll notice that the flag is lit up, even at night.

So, when you really want to show your American pride to your neighbors and passing cars, install a solar powered flag light.

Solar Powered Flag Lights are a Low Cost Alternative to a Porch Light

Maybe American pride alone isn’t reason enough to install a flag light, but there are other benefits to consider as well. Solar powered porch lights can be installed quickly and easily onto any flagpole,  in your yard as well as on your porch, deck, pool, or patio area.

Although the light generated from a solar powered flag light is not enough to annoy your neighbors, it is just bright enough to create after hour lighting in the location of your preference. And, obviously, this outdoor lighting will not run up your utility bill because it is solar powered.

Show off Team Spirit with a Solar Powered Flag Light!

Having a sports rivalry battle with your neighbor? Proudly display your favorite sports team flag in your front yard, accentuated with a solar powered flag light, to remind everyone that your team is the greatest!

Ireland (Irish) Flag

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The national flag of Ireland has three vertical stripes with the colors of green (at the hoist), white, and orange. As such, it’s often known as the tricolor. The green is said to represent the Gaelic tradition, the orange is for supporters of William of Orange, and the white in the center signifies a lasting truce between the green and the orange; thus living in peace.

Irish FlagThe flag was previously the flag of the Irish Free State and it was adopted in 1919 unilaterally during the war of independence by the Irish Republic. Subsequently, the Irish Free State also adopted the flag and later it was given constitutional status in 1937 by the Constitution of Ireland. Many nationalists feel the flag is the national flag of Ireland and as such is flown (controversially) in Northern Ireland by nationalists and the Gaelic Athletic Association.

Some protocols for the Irish Flag

  • The flag should never touch the ground, trail in water, or become tangled in any obstacles.
  • When the flag has become worn or frayed, it should no longer be used.
  • It should be displayed in the open only between sunrise and sunset, except for its use during certain events and then only for the duration of the vent.
  • The flag should never be defaced.
  • It should always be treated with respect.
  • The flag should not be draped on cars, trains, boats, or other modes of transportation.
  • It should not be carried flat, rather it should be aloft and free; except when used to drape a coffin.

It is the general practice to fly the national flag daily at all military posts and from a restricted number of significant state buildings. The European flag is flown alongside the national flag on all official buildings and in most locations where the Irish flag is flown over buildings. The national flag is often flown at half-mast on the death of a national or international figure on all prominent government buildings equipped with a flag pole. When the national flag is flown at half-mast, no other flag should be flown at half-mast.

Flag of Spain

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The Flag of Spain is defined in the Spanish Constitution of 1978 as consisting of three horizontal stripes — red, yellow, and red. The yellow stripe is twice as wide as the red stripes. The origin of the current flag is from the Naval Ensign of 1785. Its use is pretty limited.

Spanish Flag

The National Flag is used for the state and war flags and must be charged with the Spanish coat of arms. The original version was adopted in 1785 but the current version was adopted on October 5, 1981. This flag is the more commonly used flag in Spain.

Flag Protocol: The flag can only be flown from public buildings, private homes, ships, businesses, town squares, or official ceremonies horizontally. Although the flag should be flown from sunrise to sunset (like most other countries), Spanish Government Offices in Spain and abroad must fly the flag 24-7 with the flag being properly illuminated at night. The flags cannot be spoiled or damaged in any way.

When the Spanish flag is flown with other flags, the order should be the national flag, the flags of foreign states, the flag of the European Union, international NGOs, military and government standards, autonomous communities’ flags, city flags, and any others.

When mourning activities are planned, the flag can be flown at half-mast or a black ribbon can be attached to the flag that is permanently attached to a staff. During a funeral ceremony, the flag is allowed to be draped over the casket of government officials, soldiers, and persons designated by an act of the President. Those flags are then folded and presented to the family before burial

The Montana State Flag

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The Flag of Montana was adopted in 1905 and the word “Montana” was added in 1981. In 1985, the flag was modified again to specify the font used for “Montana.” Prior to its use as the state flag, it was used by Montana troops deploying to the Spanish/American War.

Montana State Flag
Montana State Flag

The flag has a dark blue background/ensign with a seal in the middle of the flag. The seal has a plow, shovel, and pick rest in a field in front of the Great Falls of the Missouri River. The ribbon on the seal contains the state motto, “Oro y Plata” (Gold and Silver). The flag can have a gold fringe on the top and bottom edges. The seal represents some of Montana’s beautiful scenery and reflects the pioneering history of the state. The tools represent Montana’s mining and farming both in the past and present.

The following information was excerpted from the Montana Code Annotated 2005, Title 1, Chapter 1, Part 5.

TITLE 1. GENERAL LAWS AND DEFINITIONS.
CHAPTER 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS.
Part 5. State Symbols — Official Designations.

1-1-502. State flag. There is hereby established a state flag of Montana. The state flag of Montana shall be a flag having a blue field with a representation of the great seal of the state in the center and with golden fringe along the upper and lower borders of the flag; the same being the flag borne by the 1st Montana Infantry, U.S.V., in the Spanish-American War, with the exception of the device, “1st Montana Infantry, U.S.V.”; and above the great seal of the state shall be the word “MONTANA” in helvetica bold letters of gold color equal in height to one-tenth of the total vertical measurement of the blue field.