Question: why does the hawaiian flag have a union jack

title: Flag of Hawaii
text: There are various accounts of the earliest history of the flag of Hawaii . One relates how King Kamehameha I flew a British flag , probably a Red Ensign , given to him by British explorer Captain George Vancouver as a token of friendship with King George III . Subsequent visitors reported seeing the flag flying from places of honor , as it was then considered an official Hawaiian flag . As the union jack added diagonal red cross of St Patrick in 1801 , so did the flag of Hawaii . An adviser to Kamehameha noted that the Union Flag could draw Hawaii into international conflict , as his kingdom could be seen as an ally of the United Kingdom , and he subsequently lowered the Union Flag over his home at Kamakahonu . While disputed as historically accurate , one account stated that in order to placate U.S. interests during the War of 1812 , a flag of the U.S. was raised over Kamehameha 's home , only to be removed when British officers in the court of Kamehameha vehemently objected to it . This explains why the resulting flag of Hawaii was a deliberate hybrid of the two nations ' flags . 

Answer: answer: King Kamehameha I flew a British flag, probably a Red Ensign, given to him by British explorer Captain George Vancouver as a token of friendship with King George III. While disputed as historically accurate, one account stated that in order to placate U.S. interests during the War of 1812, a flag of the U.S. was raised over Kamehameha's home, only to be removed when British officers in the court of Kamehameha vehemently objected to it. This explains why the resulting flag of Hawaii was a deliberate hybrid of the two nations' flags.