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Flag Tips, Trivia and History

Posted by Accent Banner on Aug 15, 2017 7:56:00 AM

Five of the Most Interesting State Flags

While the American flag is one of the most well-known symbols in the world, the individual state flags are much less famous despite offering quirky anecdotes to a state’s unique history. With the influences of European powers combined with features that are unmistakably American, each of the 50 flags has a story to tell and symbolizes a state’s place in the union. Here’s a look at five states with the most intriguing backstories for their official state flags.

Arizona State Flag:

When the Arizona National Guard was set to compete in the National Rifle Matches in 1910, the team probably didn’t know that the design they chose for the event would turn into the emblem of the state for the next century. Even though Governor Thomas Campbell actually refused to sign the bill to make it the state flag in 1917, the state legislature adopted it anyway and the red, blue, yellow and copper design continues to be the official state flag of Arizona. True to the Spanish influence of the region, the main color scheme is actually borrowed from Spain’s flag, although the thirteen rays of red and yellow represent the thirteen original American colonies.

 

Iowa State Flag:

The prize for the most French-influenced flag in the U.S. goes to Iowa, which only seems an unlikely connection on the surface. Utilizing the vertical blue, white and red French Tricolor as a starting point, Iowa’s flag is a throwback to the days before the Louisiana Purchase, although the bald eagle at the heart of the flag is also distinctly Americana. Originally designed by a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution during WWI, the flag faced some fierce opposition from a Civil War veterans’ organization but was finally officially taken on in 1921.

 

Maryland State Flag:

The Maryland flag looks a bit like the result of Lewis Carroll designing a chess board, although the unique design is also filled with symbolism that points to the complex history of Maryland. Meant as a tribute to George Calvert, better known as Lord Baltimore, the flag combines colored arms of red and white with the black and gold coat of arms that was a symbol of Calvert, who helped to settle the colony back in the early 1600s. Centuries later, Marylanders who fought for the Union Army would identify with the black and gold coat of arms while Confederate fighters picked up the red and white symbol called a Crossland banner. After the Civil War ended, the collaboration of the two distinctly different banners onto the official state flag of Maryland was designed to help bridge any ideological divide that lingered.

 

Virginia State Flag:

Virginia went all the way back to Ancient Rome for the inspiration for the state flag, which showcases a fallen king and the Latin phrase that means “Thus always for tyrants.” Although the phrase was infamously revived by John Wilkes Booth during the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, the words were first uttered by the Shakespearean version of Marcus Brutus during the Julius Caesar assassination. Originally designed in 1776 shortly after the American colonies split from King George II, the flag portrays a fictitious Amazon woman pinning down a beaten king, pointing to the self-rule that was central to the Declaration of Independence. Even though the symbol was popular long before the Civil War, it wasn’t made the unofficial state flag until 1861 and was tinkered with over the decades until it was officially adopted in 1950.

 

 

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Topics: flag history, flag trivia, state flags

Flag Trivia & History: What The Colors of A Flag Represent

Posted by Accent Banner on Jun 29, 2017 9:33:00 AM

The colors of a flag are chosen for reasons far beyond their aesthetic value. The colors and graphic elements of a flag are chosen carefully and symbolize a countries identity, history, or ideals. Below is a look at the symbolism behind some of the more popular flag colors:

Red

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Topics: flag trivia

3 Strange (But Interesting) Flag Facts

Posted by Accent Banner on Apr 25, 2017 8:55:00 AM

When most people think of flags, they aren't likely to think of the word "interesting." Most people take national flags for granted, but there are many unique stories behind every flag. Here are just three of the most interesting and baffling flag stories in the world.

  

1) Bikini Atoll's Flag Is A Sign Of Protest

Bikini Atoll is a small island nation that was a major testing ground for nuclear bombs in the 40s and 50s. This testing was done by the United States and is now considered an act of atrocity.

The 23 small islands that make up the nation created a flag to commemorate and protest the treatment they underwent during this period, including relocation and resettlement.

The flag has the same design as the American flag but with several differences. The first is the fact that it only has 23 stars, rather than 50. These represent the islands. In the upper right of the flag, three black stars represent the islands destroyed by the explosions.

Two black stars in the lower right corner represent where residents currently live. The motto on the flag translates to “Everything is in the hands of God,” a reminder of when a general told the islanders to give up their island for the good of the world.

 

(The flag of Bikini Atoll)

 

 

2) That Flag Looks Familiar...

It's hard to believe that countries could ever design the same flag. There's so many different colors that could be used and symbols that could be integrated. However, the unthinkable happened during the 1936 Olympics.

During this event, the tiny countries of Liechtenstein and Haiti (two countries that barely knew the other existed) found that they had accidentally designed the same exact flag. To be fair, the design wasn't all that complex: split horizontally down the center, with blue on top and red on the bottom.

The odd thing was that the shades were remarkably similar. Later on, Liechtenstein changed its design by adding a small crown on the top of the flag.

 

 

3) Hawaii Celebrates A British Heritage It Never Had

As the last state to be added to the United States of America, Hawaii was always a bit left out. Not only is it literally thousands of miles from the nearest state, but it also has its own unique culture.

One of the oddest aspects of its history is its flag. It is the only state in the country that uses the British Union Jack in its design. Strangely, Hawaii was never a territory of Britain, unlike much of the rest of the United States.

The flag is partially influenced by the fact that James Cook of England “discovered” the island. With British help, the islands were unified under one constitution for the first time. Without that unification, it's unlikely the United States would have had an interest in the small island in the first place.

 

 

WOW! Who knew that flags could be so interesting? If you want to know information about custom flags (or want to make an order for one), please don't hesitate to contact us today. We always look forward to sharing interesting facts with our customers.

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Topics: flag facts, flag trivia

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