flag of the United States of America | Britannica.com Flag of the United States of America Written By: See Article History Alternative Titles: Old Glory, Star-Spangled Banner, Stars and Stripes national flag consisting of white stars (50 since July 4, 1960) on a blue canton with a field of 13 alternating stripes, 7 red and 6 white. The 50 stars stand for the 50 states of the union, and the 13 stripes stand for the original 13 states. The flag’s width-to-length ratio is 10 to 19. Related Topics Betsy Ross After the American Revolution began, the first unofficial national flag—known as the Continental Colours (or, incorrectly, as the Grand Union Flag or the Cambridge Flag)—was hoisted at Prospect Hill in Charlestown (now in Somerville, Mass.) on Jan. 1, 1776; it was raised, it appears, at the behest of Gen. George Washington , whose headquarters were nearby.

The flag had 13 horizontal stripes (probably of red and white or of red, white, and blue) and, in the canton, the first version of the British Union Flag ( Union Jack ). It was used at forts and on naval vessels. Another popular early flag, that of the Sons of Liberty , had the 13 stripes only. The various 18th-century “Don’t Tread on Me” flags had only local significance, but in the 20th century such designs were popularized by political protesters. The first official national flag, formally approved by the Continental Congress on June 14, 1777, was the Stars and Stripes. The blue canton was to contain 13 stars, but the layout of the stars was left undefined, and several patterns are known. The designer of the flag, Congressman Francis Hopkinson , may have had a ring of stars in mind to symbolize (in the words of the flag law) “a new constellation.” Today that pattern is popularly known as the “ Betsy Ross flag,” although the claims of her descendants that she made the first Stars and Stripes and that she used the ring pattern are unsubstantiated.

Rows of stars (4-5-4 or 3-2-3-2-3) were common, but other variations also existed. The new Stars and Stripes formed part of the military colours carried on Sept. 11, 1777, at the Battle of the Brandywine , perhaps its first such use. Similar Topics flag of the Confederate States of America The Stars and Stripes changed on May 1, 1795, when two more stars and two more stripes were added to reflect the admission to the union of Vermont (1791) and Kentucky (1792).

(One such flag was the 1,260-square-foot [117-square-metre] “Star-Spangled Banner,” made by Mary Pickersgill, that Francis Scott Key saw at Fort McHenry in September 1814, inspiring his patriotic poem .) In 1818, after five more states had been admitted, Congress enacted legislation pertaining to a new flag, requiring that henceforth the number of stripes should remain 13, the number of stars should always match the number of states, and any new star should be added on the July 4 following a state’s admission. This has been the system ever since. In all, from 1777 to 1960 (after the admission of Hawaii in 1959) there were 27 versions of the flag—25 involving changes in the stars only. An executive order of Oct. 29, 1912, standardized the proportions and relative sizes of the elements of the flag; in 1934 the exact shades of colour were standardized. There is no official assignment of meaning or symbolism to the colours of the flag.

However, Charles Thomson , secretary of the Continental Congress, in describing the proposed Great Seal, suggested the following symbolism: “White signifies purity and innocence, Red, hardiness & valour, and Blue…signifies vigilence, perseverence [sic] & justice.” As with many other national flags, the Stars and Stripes has long been a focus of patriotic sentiment . Millions of children have traditionally recited the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag at the start of each school day, and the lyrics of the national anthem are also concerned with the flag. Some veterans’ groups have pressured legislators to adopt laws or a constitutional amendment prohibiting flag desecration, but such legislation has been opposed on the grounds that it would infringe on the constitutionally guaranteed freedom of expression. Britannica Stories Ringling Bros. Folds Its Tent During the American Civil War , the Confederate States of America began to use its first flag, the Stars and Bars, on March 5, 1861. Soon after, the first Confederate Battle Flag was also flown. The design of the Stars and Bars varied over the following two years. On May 1, 1863, the Confederacy adopted its first official national flag, often called the Stainless Banner.

A modification of that design was adopted on March 4, 1865, about a month before the end of the war. In the latter part of the 20th century, many groups in the South challenged the practice of flying the Confederate Battle Flag on public buildings, including some state capitols. Proponents of the tradition argued that the flag recalled Southern heritage and wartime sacrifice, whereas opponents saw it as a symbol of racism and slavery, inappropriate for official display. The “Southern Cross” version of the Confederate Battle Flag. The Stainless Banner, first official national flag of the Confederate States of America. The United States Flag The United States Flag Every country has a national flag. The United States has a flag. The American flag has three colors. It has a blue square in the corner. There are 50 white stars in the blue square. It has red and white stripes. There are 13 stripes. Today there are 50 states, so the American flag has 50 stars for the 50 states. Choose the correct answer for the questions below: 1. Does the United States flag have three colors?

Color Meanings in Flags Color Meanings in Flags Color Meanings in Flags We often take for granted the significance and meaning behind some of our most well-known symbols. Flags have long been used as representation of places and people, and the thought that goes into their design goes far beyond just the choosing of complimentary colors and images. Their meanings often exemplify the values, history and moral standing of the places or individuals they represent. The Importance of Flags Flags have been used as common symbols in history for over 5,000 years, dating as far back as 3000 BC with a metal Iranian flag and flag representation in Egyptian tomb carvings. Vexillology, or the study of flags , takes its literal meaning from the Latin word for “guide,” a meaning which continues to carry weight in the use of flags today. The word was created by Dr. Whitney Smith in 1957. Flags have been used in battle for symbolizing wins and defeats, or to send signals to allies and enemies. In today’s society, every country in the world flies a representative flag, as well most states and territories within. Many families, organizations, and sports teams have also designed characteristic flags.

Regardless of the venue or reason, a flag’s design is created under careful consideration, and the colors used in its foundation represent far greater ideals than what is found on a simple color wheel. Color Symbolism in Flags Colors within flags differ from country to country and state to state; the colors presented hold deep-seeded meaning and representation. • Black: Often used to represent determination, ethnic heritage and/or the defeat of enemies. It can also be used as a symbol of death or mourning. • White: Seen as a symbol of peace, purity and harmony, and has also been used to represent surrender in times of battle. • Red: Stands for power, revolution, vibrancy and war (symbolic of bloodshed). Other meanings include courage and domination, while it can also be viewed as an alert of danger. • Blue: Signifies determination, liberation, alertness and good fortune. • Green: Often seen as a symbol of agricultural influence, as well as prosperity and fertility. It can also be viewed as youthfulness and hope. • Yellow (or Gold): Has long been viewed as a symbol of wealth and energy, as in the sun. It can also be used to represent happiness. • Orange: Viewed as representation of courage and sacrifice.

The Colors of the Countries Each country designs its flags to symbolize its history, culture and people, and the color meanings can vary dependent on the ideals of the specific country. Some examples are: • United States of America – The red symbolizes valor and bravery, the white stands for purity and innocence and the blue signifies justice, perseverance and vigilance. (Purchase American Flags) • India – The colors of the Indian flag are saffron, white and green, which stand for courage and sacrifice, purity, and faith and fertility respectively. (Purchase India Flags) • Austria – The red and white of the Austrian flag symbolize the remembrance of the Duke’s blood-stained coat during battle. (Purchase Austria Flags) • Germany – The colors black, red and gold have been associated with Germany since the middle ages, but the current German flag colors are traced back to early 19th century volunteers, who fought for the country in the Napoleonic wars. The colors are based on the soldiers' uniforms which were black coats with red braid and gold buttons. (Purchase Germany Flags) • China - The golden color of the Chinese flag symbolizes the Chinese race, while the red color stands for communism.

(Purchase China Flags) • Spain – Yellow stands for generosity and red for hardiness, bravery and strength in the Spanish flag. (Purchase Spain Flags) • Italy – The Italian flag’s red, white and green colors have two meanings: charity, faith and hope, or the bloodshed in the Wars of Italian Independence, the Alps Mountain Range covered in snow and the country’s plains and hills. (Purchase Italy Flags) • Belgium – The black, yellow and red of the Belgium flag symbolize the colors of the arms of the duchy of Brabant, a yellow lion with red claws on a black field. (Purchase Belgium Flags) Color Combinations Each color within a flag is important, but often the combination of colors carries equal significance, particularly the location of countries within a certain region. A few combinations include: • Red, White and Blue: Many American’s claim this combination as our own, but in truth this blend has been used in flags long before the formation of the United States, seen most often in European nations including Croatia, Czech Republic, France, the Netherlands, Serbia, UK and Slovenia.

• Green, Red and Yellow: This color grouping is often symbolic of Pan-African countries, such as Cameron, Congo, Benin, Ghana, Guinea, Mali and Niger. • Red, White, Green and Black: The color mixture is seen in Arab nations, including Palestine, Jordon, Kuwait, Syria and United Arab Emirates. Flag Similarities Even with the abundance of color combinations available, many countries’ flags exist in great similarity to others, often resulting from similar historical beginnings. • Monaco and Indonesia: Both utilize the same colors and design, different only by a slight degree in proportion. • Luxembourg and the Netherlands: Each an identical combination of red, white and blue stripes, with a slight difference in proportion and shade of blue. • Romania and Chad: Red, yellow and blue stripes of identical shape, different only in a slight variance in the tint of blue. • Indonesia and Poland: Both an equal combination of red and white, different only in the direction in which they are flown. Flown with Pride Each country, state, territory and organization chooses its flags to best represent the ideals it holds most valuable. The colors used in flag design stand for tradition and excellence, signifying a respected history and a hopeful future.

All Star Flags has your favorite flag, with the largest assortment of American and international flags, as well as state, military, religious, historic and message flags, and so much more! They even have you covered with flagpoles and accessories. Fly your flag proudly today with the help of All Star Flags. Country Flag Color Meanings Home Cultures and Society Country Flag Color Meanings A flag in simple words is a symbolic representation of ones country. Every flag belonging to a country has a history meaning associated. Read on to know more about meaning of flags of different countries like America, Australia, German, Indian etc. By Jamila Joshi | Tuesday, April 13, 2010 "If you want a symbolic gesture, don't burn the flag; wash it." - Norman Thomas The motive behind discovering a flag was for the purpose of passing signals/gestures and for identification of a troop. In wars, flags were used to convey messages to the opposition party i.e., of making peace, surrendering or charging for a fight etc. National flags have a wide variance of colors and their combinations.

There lies some cause behind the selection of the colors, the design (stripes, crosses and bands) and the symbols (star, sun, crescent etc) embedded in the flag. There might be some false stories as well created on the history of some flags. It is difficult to say how much the truth in these stories is since these things do not have much relevance in today's context. Country Flag Color Combinations It may be noted that region-wise, there are similarities in color combinations used by some nations. Red, White and Blue are common between a few countries in the European nations like Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Netherlands, Serbia, UK and Slovenia etc. Some African countries like Cameron, Congo, Guinea, Benin, Ghana, Mali and Niger etc have a common combination of green, red and yellow. Some Arab nations like Palestine, Jordon, Kuwait, UAE and Syria etc have common combination of red, white, green and black. There is a similarity in the design of the flags of Sweden, Denmark and Iceland who represent the Nordic countries. These countries also are known to have comparable cultural qualities. The sun, star and crescent are common symbols seen among the nations in the Asian continent.

Every color symbolizes some characteristics, as we can see with the following examples of some common colors: Black: the color symbolizes a purpose for some countries, for some it is victory over the oppositions or for some it represents cultural inheritance. Blue: This color symbolizes liberation, determination, good fortune, alertness etc. Green: The color green symbolizes agriculture as well as the green revolution in one's motherland. It is found to be commonly associated with the Muslim religion. Red: The color symbolizes power, vibrancy, revolution and war (since it is the color of blood). White: White is a soft color that symbolizes purity, peace and harmony and is also a sign for surrendering oneself to the enemy. Yellow: It is the color of gold and the sun. It symbolizes wealth and energy. It also means happiness for some. The countries have chosen the color combination that suits best with the description of their motherland. In many cases, similar combination of colors is just a mere coincidence.

Meaning Behind Flags of Different Countries Let us now look into the color significance of a flag in more depth by quoting the following examples: The American Flag The thirteen red stripes (alternating with white stripes) represent the thirteen colonies that revolted with British realm. The fifty stars stand for the fifty states. The Indian Flag The Indian flag broadly depicts three colors in layers; the uppermost is the saffron, middle is white and the lowermost is the green color. The saffron color signifies the sense of patriotism, white signifies purity and peace while green signifies the agricultural richness of the country. The Ashoka Chakra, embedded in the white layer, signifies the historical gravity that is deeply rooted in the country. The Austrian Flag The red and white flag of Austria was designed in remembrance of the blood stained coat of the Duke during a battle. The German Flag The flag of Germany with colors black, red and golden represent the uniform of the German soldiers. The Chinese Flag The red color means communism. Gold symbolizes the Chinese yellow race. The great golden star symbolizes the ruling communist party. The four little stars represent the four classes among the people in China. Why the U.S.

Flag is Red, White and Blue | TIME.com America Why the U.S. Flag is Red, White and Blue Every Fourth of July, we flaunt Uncle Sam hats, wave our flag, and watch fireworks shoot sparks into the night sky. But many never even stop to ask the question, "Why does America salute the red, white and blue?" Send to Kindle Eugene A. Cernan/Space Frontiers/Getty Images American geologist and Apollo 17 astronaut Harrison Hagan Schmitt stands next to the US flag on the surface of the moon, during a period of EVA (Extra-Vehicular Activity) at the Taurus-Littrow landing site, December 1972. Follow @TIMEPolitics Every Fourth of July, we flaunt Uncle Sam hats, wave our flag, and watch fireworks shoot sparks into the night sky.

But many never even stop to ask the question, “Why does America salute the red, white and blue?” On June 14, 1777 in Philadelphia, the Marine Committee of the Second Continental Congress adopted a resolution that read the following: “Resolved, that the flag of the United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field representing a new constellation.” And with these words, the Stars and Stripes were born. Yet the resolution never said a word about the significance behind the choice of red, white and blue. And for good reason. The three colors did not have any official meaning when the flag was adopted in 1777. The colors and their significance still trace back to the birth of the country, and had very specific meanings in the creation of the Great Seal a year earlier. On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress passed a resolution authorizing a committee to develop a seal for the country. The committee was instructed to draw up a seal that reflected the Founding Fathers’ beliefs and values, as well as the sovereignty of the new nation.

Red, white and blue were chosen, and the Great Seal was officially adopted on June 20, 1782. Heraldic devices such as seals have specific meanings for each element and color, and the U.S. Seal was no exception. Charles Thomson, Secretary of the Continental Congress, explained the significance to Congress when he presented the seal. “The colors,” Thomson said at the time, “are those used in the flag of the United States of America. White signifies purity and innocence. Red, hardiness & valour, and Blue… signifies vigilance, perseverance & justice.” Kevin Lamarque/REUTERS Mike Buss, a flag expert with the American Legion, says that the most obvious reason for the flag’s colors is that they were simply taken from our mother country’s flag — the Union Jack of England. “Our heritage does come from Great Britain, and that was some of the thought process that went about in coming up with our flag,” Buss says of the American flag’s red, white and blue. “They come from the three colors that the Founding Fathers had served under or had been exposed to.” Over the years people have altered Thomson’s original interpretation.

Some now say that red represents the blood spilled by the patriots and those who fight to protect our country. President Reagan even put his own spin on the matter when he proclaimed 1986 the Year of the Flag. “The colors of our flag signify the qualities of the human spirit we Americans cherish,” Reagan said. “Red for courage and readiness to sacrifice; white for pure intentions and high ideals; and blue for vigilance and justice.” The significance behind the flag’s design is more commonly known than that of its colors. The 50 stars stand for America’s 50 states, while the 13 red and white stripes represent the 13 colonies. But there’s also a lesser-known interpretation for the Stars and Stripes. The House of Representatives’ 1977 book about the flag states: “The star is a symbol of the heavens and the divine goal to which man has aspired from time immemorial; the stripe is symbolic of the rays of light emanating from the sun.” Although most Americans today aren’t aware of the specific symbolism behind the flag’s red, white and blue, flag expert Buss is not concerned.

Instead, he believes the flag’s power to evoke patriotism and pride after all these years is most important. “For us veterans, the flag represents why we served,” Buss says. “We were there because the flag represented our freedoms — freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion.” Brian Snyder / REUTERS History of American Flag | USA Flag Site Home » Flag History History of American Flag. For more than 200 years, the American flag has been the symbol of our nation’s strength and unity. It’s been a source of pride and inspiration for millions of citizens. And the American Flag has been a prominent icon in our national history. Here are the highlights of its unique past. On January 1, 1776, the Continental Army was reorganized in accordance with a Congressional resolution which placed American forces under George Washington’s control. On that New Year’s Day the Continental Army was laying siege to Boston which had been taken over by the British Army. Washington ordered the Grand Union flag hoisted above his base at Prospect Hill. It had 13 alternate red and white stripes and the British Union Jack in the upper left-hand corner (the canton).

In May of 1776, Betsy Ross reported that she sewed the first American flag. On June 14, 1777, in order to establish an official flag for the new nation, the Continental Congress passed the first Flag Act: “Resolved, That the flag of the United States be made of thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation.” Between 1777 and 1960, Congress passed several acts that changed the shape, design and arrangement of the flag and allowed for additional stars and stripes to be added to reflect the admission of each new state. Act of January 13, 1794 – provided for 15 stripes and 15 stars after May 1795. Act of April 4, 1818 – provided for 13 stripes and one star for each state, to be added to the flag on the 4th of July following the admission of each new state, signed by President Monroe.

Executive Order of President Taft dated June 24, 1912 – established proportions of the flag and provided for arrangement of the stars in six horizontal rows of eight each, a single point of each star to be upward. Executive Order of President Eisenhower dated January 3, 1959 – provided for the arrangement of the stars in seven rows of seven stars each, staggered horizontally and vertically. Executive Order of President Eisenhower dated August 21, 1959 – provided for the arrangement of the stars in nine rows of stars staggered horizontally and eleven rows of stars staggered vertically. Today the flag consists of thirteen horizontal stripes, seven red alternating with 6 white. The stripes represent the original 13 colonies, the stars represent the 50 states of the Union. The colors of the flag are symbolic as well: Red symbolizes Hardiness and Valor, White symbolizes Purity and Innocence and Blue represents Vigilance, Perseverance and Justice. If you have suggestions, comments or questions about any current or historical American Flags, visit our discussion board and chat with us. USA Flag Site does not sell flags.

If you’d like to spread the word and help others find USA Flag Site, you can link to us from your web site. USA Flag Site © 2012 - 2016 | All Rights Reserved | Website Design by To the Top WSD&P | Jamaica This page is part of © FOTW Flags Of The World website Jamaica image by eljko Heimer, 25 Febuary 2002 Official Name: Jamaica Flag adopted : 6 August 1962 Coat of arms adopted: 6 August 1962 ISO Code: JM The symbolism of the colours is: yellow, sunshine and natural resources; black, the burdens borne by the people; green, agriculture and hope for the future. "Burdens and hardships there may be, but we have hope and the sun still shines". James Dignan, 22 November 1995 From < >: "The Jamaica National Flag came into use on August 6,1962, Jamaicas Independence Day. It was designed by a bipartisan committee of the Jamaica House of representatives.The Flag has a diagonal cross or saltire with four triangles in juxtaposition.

The diagonal cross is in gold and one-sixth of the length of the fly of the flag; the top and bottom triangles are in green; and the hoist and fly triangles are in black. The exact shade of green used in the flag is Emerald T8 17, British Admiralty Bunting Pattern. The Flag follows the "Admiralty Pattern" and the proportion is 2 x 1."Hardships there are but the land is green and the sun shineth" is the symbolism of the Flag. Black stands for hardships overcome and to be faced; Gold, for natural wealth and beauty of sunlight; and Green stands for hope and agricultural resources". See also more information plus explanation of usage (clearly defining the civil and state ensign use of the national flag) at < > and 20 Jamaican Dollar banknote showing the flag of Jamaica at < >. Both sites claim that the width of the yellow stripes is "1/6th of the length of the fly" of the flag. Now, I read this to be 1/6th of the flag length (horizontal, longer, dimension), however this produces very, very "fat" stripes.

Or maybe the meaning of "the length of the fly" is length of the free side, which would be equal what we call hoist. In that case, 1/6 of hoist is maybe somewhat thinner then I am used to envision the JM flag, but much closer to what's usually seen. eljko Heimer, 23 Febuary 2002 According to [ pay00 ] - National Flag (CSW/C-- 1:2) - The site I mentioned few days ago defines the width of the saltire as 1/6 of hoist (if I have interpreted it rightly, see previous messages). Green shade is defined (though with some system that does not halp us much), but the saltire is just called "gold". Usually this is shown as simple yellow (so [ pay00 ], [ smi82 ], [ vdv00 ] etc.) but I guess that it should be darker, as gold sould be. At least, the flag used on Salt Lake ceremonies these days was cleafry having a darker "orangeous" yellow shade.

eljko Heimer, 25 Febuary 2002 When in Jamaica for at the time of the 40th anniversary of Independence, I heard a local radio broadcast which mentioned a description similar to above, but also described an alternative history. It seems that an unpopular member of the outgoing colonial regime stormed out of a meeting to being discuss the colors of the flag for the soon to be independent country, saying: "I don't care what the flag looks like, as long as it has at least one of the colours from the Union Jack in it!" History shows he was disappointed. Unfortunately, I cannot recall the name of the politician or a reference, but it is at least an amusing folk history. David C. Oliver, 5 June 2003 The colours of the Jamaican flag were described at the time of it's origin as 'Black for the people'; Yellow for the Sun'; and 'Green representing the lush vegitation of the island'.

John McGhie, 5 April 2005 National Flag at the London 2012 Olympics The protocol manual for the London 2012 Olympics (Flags and Anthems Manual London 2012 [ loc12 ]) provides recommendations for national flag designs. Each NOC was sent an image of the flag, including the PMS shades, for their approval by LOCOG. Once this was obtained, LOCOG produced a 60 x 90 cm version of the flag for further approval. So, while these specs may not be the official, government, version of each flag, they are certainly what the NOC believed the flag to be. For Jamaica: PMS 355 green, 115 yellow and black. The vertical flag is simply the horizontal version turned 90 degrees clockwise. Ian Sumner, 10 October 2012 This site has listed the colors of the Jamaica flag in two different color schemes, British Admiralty Bunting Pattern and Pantone.

Without further adieu (and quoting the website): "The Correct Colours of the Jamaican Flag For the printing of the flags by the Print Shop, the following are used, based on the PANTONE COLOUR FORMULA: Gold = Pantone 109U o 16 parts PANTONE Yellow 98.5 o ¼ part PANTONE Warm Red 1.5 Green = Pantone 355U o 13 parts PANTONE Green 80.0 o 3 parts PANTONE Yellow 18.5 o ¼ part PANTONE Black 1.5 Black In the Codes for National Symbols publication (page 3) the colours are defined as: GOLD GREEN = Emerald T8 17 (my note: also described at with the specifications of the flag design) BLACK" Alternate History of the Flag I have some information which you may find useful - information which is certainly not well known. My father Rev William R.F. McGhie, was a Church of Scotland minister who in 1957 went out to Jamaica to work as a missionary. Both my parents were from Glasgow although we lived, at that time, in Stonehouse in Lanarkshire.

Shortly before Jamaica got her independence from Great Britain the Jamaican Prime Minister Sir Alexander Bustamante (who was a friend of my fathers) showed my father designs of the proposed Jamaican flag. It was to be a green, black and gold tri-colour (ie vertical stripes). My father commented that as a Christian country the flag should contain a cross to reflect that fact. My father then sketched the St Andrew's cross replacing the colours of the Scottish flag with the green, black and gold of the Jamaican flag as it is now. Sir Alexander Bustamante agreed that this would be better and the rest is history, as they say. Of course, not many people know this but I can guarantee this is the truth. John McGhie, 7 Febuary 2005 I can vouch for the validity of the "Alternate History of the Jamaican Flag". My father, Rev. William R. F. McGhie was one of Alexander Bustamante's chaplains. Sir Alexander called him 'Padre', and he talked with the Prime Minister often, both on the telephone and in person.

I say 'one of'' because Sir Alexander, who was an unabashed ambassador of Jamaica's Rum industry usually gave that title to many 'men of the cloth', whose advice he often sought after. The first official release of the Jamaican flag (3 horizontal lines) was not well received at all by the Jamaican public, My father was only one of the citizenry calling for a design change, but he did indeed recommend to Sir Alexander that the redesigned flag should have a cross, signifying the history and influence of 'the church' in Jamaica's past. Sir Alexander asked him to submit ideas for an alternate design. I can clearly remember my father one morning in his study, tracing the St. Andrew Scottish national flag from an encyclopedia, and applying the existing colors of Green, Yellow and Black into the St. Andrew's cross motif. I cannot remember if the colors in my father's design were placed in the exact positions as what became the official flag, but the design was certainly his.

John McGhie, 27 March 2005 Coat of Arms image by eljko Heimer, 25 Febuary 2002 The Coat of Arms, based on the grayscale vectorial drawing from Corel Clipart (with only very minor chnages I made and colourization based on several sources). It seems that the Coat of Arms does not apear on any current Jamaica flag (but it did prior to independence), so it is no wander that it is not shown in Album [ pay00 ]. eljko Heimer, 25 Febuary 2002 Am I wrong in saying that the scroll and the helmet should be both the same colour? They are both blazoned "Or", aren't they? Also, according to Ralf Hartemink's International Civic Heraldry website < >, the current arms have the motto in Latin (on, apparently, a scroll Argent). Santiago Dotor, 26 Febuary 2002 I shall wait for experts to judge on this, especially the colourization.

I think that Ralf is wrong - the Latin motto is older then the current English one (possibly this was the slight change of 1957?) though I have no firm arguments of that, and have to wait for experts to resolve it. David describes the 1906 Coat of Arms supporters to be wearing blue clothing, this being allegedly changed to green-golden of current design. However, it seems to me that both Nat'l Geographics [ gmc17 ] and Flaggenbuch [ neu92 ] already show the clothing coloured as in current Coat of Arms. Possibly the 1906 grant really contains blue clothing, but the 1957 change migh have only proscribed what was customarly "always" in real use. eljko Heimer, 26 Febuary 2002 DK Flags of the World [ udk98 ] says: "The coat of arms, based on those granted to Jamaica on 3 February 1663, is among the oldest granted to a British colony." No image is shown.

Smith [ smi75c ] seems to be the source of Corel Clipart, and says: "The arms are those originally granted in 1661; the pattern was modified in 1957 by having the motto and artistic rendition altered." The coat of arms shown on < (defunct) has minor differences with Smith's image. The dark grey feathers surrounding the helmet are yellow in Smith. Background of the helmet is red in Smith. The reverse of the scroll, as shown below the supporters' feet are in Smith the same colour as the obverse. L 93 ] says that the supporters of the coat of arms are Arawaks. Note that elements of the coat of arms (the four pineapples and red cross) are diaplyed on the banner of the Queen Elizabeth II in Jamaica and the flag of the Prime Minister . Ivan Sache, 26 Febuary 2002 The Jamaican motto, "Out of Many, One People" was a common unity theme, which had traditionally existed in Jamaica, despite colonial pompousness and assumed privilege.

The authors of the Jamaican motto did not care (or perhaps did not even know) that the motto of the United States "E Pluribus Unum" translated to "Out of Many, One"; it just fitted well with the spirit that existed in Jamaica at the time of independence. John McGhie, 29 March 2005 1) image by Mark Sensen, 16 September 1997 Smith says "The original Jamaican flag proposal was discovered to resemble closely the flag of Tanganyka, although the design was approved by British authorities, who should have been aware of the conflict." Dorling-Kindersley Pocket Book says "It was originally designed with vertical stripes, but this was considered too similar to the Tanganykian flag". The flag of Tanganyka has horizontal stripes, so that I don't understand Dorling-Kindersley mentioning vertical stripes as a source of confusion. The flag drawn by Mark is indeed very close to the flag of Tanganyka. Ivan Sache, 10 January 2003 To add to this conflict of the origin of Jamaica's flag: Originally Jamaica's proposed flag was to be blue with with a Union Jack in a corner.

Flag commitee member Dudley Thompson (who practiced law in Tanganyka and also became famous in defending Jomo Kenyatta) added that the color "black" has to be on the flag. Slowly he introduced the colors "green" and "gold" to the commitee. True the proposed flag design did resemble Tanganyka's but the colors of Jamaica's flag are genuinely the colors of the Africa National Congress (ANC). Elliott Thompson, 28 April 2003 The ANC flag was adopted during their party congress in 1925. There is no record on the ANC official website about how they chose the black, green and yellow colours. I have, however, heard a tale (the source no longer remembered) that a delegation from Jamaica attended this congress as observers that year and that they brought the colours with them as a gift! If true, this would mean that the ANC recieved the colours from the Jamaicans and not the other way around. It would also mean that Jamaica's colours date back much further than the 1960's. Was there perhaps an earlier political movement in Jamaica (circa the 1920's) with these colours for a party flag?.

It is to be noted that the ANC was the oldest black Arfrican political movement, having been established as such in 1912, but built upon an even earlier movement. It was therefore regarded as the senior liberation movement in Africa and at least three of the neighbouring countries adapted the ANC colours for their own use. So we see the flags of Mozambique, Tanzania and Zimbabwe all containing the colours black, green and yellow/gold. I have not been able the discover any coroborative sources for this tale. No mention is made in the ANC's offficial history about the origin of the colours except to state the date of adoption. Andre Burgers, 28 April 2003 and 29 March 2005 I have no information on the origination of the black, yellow and green colours. I can't remember my father saying anything about the issue, nor do I think there was any mention of the colours, or the ANC, in the DAILY GLEANER articles that I frequently read. I rather doubt the story about Jamaica sending a delegation to the ANC in 1925.

Jamaica at that time had a British colonial government, and I can't see British ex-pats supporting the ANC in any way. The Jamaican colonial flag was of course the Union Jack, in some form, and I'm sure the black, yellow and green colors were not adopted until the 1962 pre-independence debates/public contests. My opinion is that the black, yellow and green motif was a Jamaican original, based on the descriptions associated with the colors i.e. dark days in the past (slavery), green (the land of wood and water), and of course, sunshine. The colors were appropriate for Jamaica, regardless of any other country or organization that may have used similar ones. John McGhie, 29 March 2005 2) image by Ivan Sache, 10 January 2003 I got this flag myself on their independence day in 1962. I was a sailor On the Lake Champlain. A banner (Arms on white) came with the flag. Jim Wiseman, 3 January 2003 The flag sent by Jim Wiseman might be an other proposal.

Dorling-Kindersley says that there was a public contest for the flag. My (loose) conclusions are: - Dorling-Kindersley is wrong. - Mark drew the flag approved by the British authorities. - The flag sent by Jim is a rejected proposal, or was proposed for a short period, between the Tanganyka-like and the current saltire flags. Ivan Sache, 10 January 2003 Dorling-Kindersley is not wrong. This version of the flag with horizontal lines (there was also one with vertical lines) was printed in the Jamaican newspaper "The Daily Gleaner" in 1962 just before independence. And yes, there was a public contest For the design of the flag. John McGhie, 27 March 2005 Historic Suggestion for the Jamaican Flag can be found : Political Flags From what can be seen on the websites of the Jamaican Labour Party and the Peoples National Party they use (and extensively) plain flags of respectively green (JLP) and orange (PNP).

However, watching a very blurred video of a PNP public meeting, it is not inconceivable that some flags might be defaced with the party symbol of a male head with hat, as seen on the site , although it could equally just be shadows. Knud A. Berg, 31 March 2006 According to this WMO page , Jamaica's Storm Warning Signals are: - 39a (two red pennants above each other): "Gale warnings: winds within the range 34-47 knots." - 41a (two red flags, pierced black, above each other): "Hurricane warnings: winds above 63 knots." - 40a (red flag pierced black): "Whole gale warning: winds within the range 48-63 knots." - 56a (red pennant): "Small craft warning: winds and seas or sea conditions are only dangerous to small craft operations. Winds range from 25-34 knots." Jan Mertens, 27 January 2008

Question: How many colours are there on the American flag?
Answer: 3