The History Of Some Of The Worlds Flags

Flags have a rich history and heritage. Flags trace their genesis to the use of staffs or vexilloids, that were commonly used to lead men into battle. These staffs were decorated with symbols and other items, giving the soldiers a feeling of camaraderie. With time, these staffs were adorned with silk and other types of material. This is what we see now as the modern day 'Flag'. Now every country has its own flag as an identity. These are used to stake claim over a new land or a symbol of presence - flag on the moon by Neil Armstrong.

Throughout the history of mankind, flags have been used to signify different things such as civilizations, ideas, groups, and nations. It was only in the eighteenth century that flags were initially used to symbolize a nation. Today, every country in the world has their own flag. These flags have symbols that the country men relate to and hold with pride close to their hearts as a cherished possession.

The flag of the United States of America first stood for the original thirteen states. Each state was represented by a star and there were stripes in the body, thus its name stars and stripes. Since 1777 the flag was continually being revised, but in 1960 when Hawaii became the 50th state in the USA, the flag was completed.

Great Britain's flag is known as the Union Jack. In 1801 it was designated as the official flag of the country. Their flag symbolizes its three united countries of England, Scotland, and Ireland. In 1920 Ireland split and now the Union Jack represents only Northern Ireland. The familiar Union Jack also appears on other flags including Australia.

The flag of Canada is a red maple leaf flanked by stripes of red. This flag design was officially adopted in 1965, although the maple leaf was a Canadian symbol for many years before that. The two stripes are said to represent the Pacific and Atlantic oceans which flank the country.

Barbados's flag is also filled with symbolism. It bears two blue stripes that stand for the ocean and sky. The yellow center represents the beaches. There is an interesting story about the trident in the center. The trident symbolizes Neptune, and their trident is broken to emphasize that Barbados split from Great Britain in 1966. The flag became official at that time.

The Israeli flag has blue and white stripes. They are the same color used in Jewish prayer shawls. The Star of David takes up the center, another familiar Jewish religious symbol. Their flag became official in 1948.

Flags all over the world express their values through symbolism and sometimes religion. Often they carry religious sayings or symbols that tell the world about their countries. As territories change hands throughout the world, or two nations become one, new flags are designed. Two of the most recent and recognizable are the flags representing the United Nations and the European Union.

Flags have been used for centuries as a symbol of identification and play an important step in bringing people together. The people of a nation identify themselves with their national flag which is a symbol of pride, "belongingness", identity and independence.

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About the author: George Pascatt is the chief writer at Flag FX, the #1 source on the internet when you're looking for fresh up to date advice and reviews to do with Flags. For questions or comments about this article visit: www.flagfx.com/articles
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