Flags have been used as both symbols and signals for centuries. While they serve many purposes, perhaps the oldest and most common use is to symbolize a country or area of sovereignty. The symbolism and history of national flags is a fascinating and revealing subject.
The flag that has enjoyed the most use is the Union Flag or Union Jack of the United Kingdom. The extent of its popularity is a measure of the vastness of the British Empire. Because there was a time when the sun never set on the British Empire, a Union Jack was always flying somewhere in the world.
Tricolor flags go back to The Netherlands of the 16th century. Many countries, including France, Iran, and South Africa, later adopted the tricolor theme. The French tricolor flag, aptly called the Tricolore, inspired the French Revolution. The color scheme of green, white, and red of the Iranian tricolor was adopted by a number of Iran's neighbors. As one of the first independent nations in Africa, the Pan-African colors of the Ethiopian flag became a model for the flags of later African states, including Ghana and Mali.
The United States flag, aptly called The Stars and Stripes, inspired both war and peace. During a painful period of conflict, the flag of the Confederacy rivaled Old Glory. Now the Confederate Flag is viewed by many as a symbol of the pre-Civil War days of slavery.
The world of sports takes full advantage of flags as signaling devices. In North American football, a referee will throw a flag onto the field when a player commits a foul and the team is about to be penalized. In these situations announcers are likely to say, "There's a flag on the play." The flag is actually a small, weighted square of cloth-red in U.S. football, yellow in Canadian.
Motor racing requires a quick, sure way to communicate with drivers. Flags serve this purpose. The black and white checkered flags, waved in a particular fashion, symbolize the winner and the end of the race. Yellow means caution, and red means stop.
Flags have an important safety function in other contexts as well. In snorkeling and scuba diving, flags mark the location of the snorkelers and divers. This warns ships to stay clear. Kayakers have recently adapted flags to increase their visibility on the water. Hidden behind swells, kayaks, with their low profiles, are nearly invisible to passing boats.
The signal corps is a branch of the military with responsibilities for communication. Historically corpsmen communicated with flags, but now they are more likely to use radios and sophisticated technology for military intelligence and aviation. Many countries have signal corps, including Denmark, the United States, and Canada. Signal corps also serve symbolic functions in military ceremonies.
In addition to their symbolic and communication uses, flags have ornamental uses. Custom flags decorate cars, buildings, and gardens. Flag making is a traditional craft that continues to provide an important enhancement to business, personal, sporting, and national events.
To learn more about subjects like custom flags please visit the web site at: http://www.the-flag-makers.com/flag-material-specifications/flag-fabric-material.htm
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About the Author
Chris Robertson is a published author of Majon International. All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2011 (Sat Dec 19 2009) Majon International. Majon International is one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing and internet advertising companies on the web. Visit their main business resource internet marketing web site at: http://www.majon.com
