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Subject: Re: The story of the United Kingdom and the Union Flag (0/1)
From: WingedMessenger <Boy@FlyingHigh.com>
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"::darkshadows::" <bat@cave.org> wrote in
news:to6q0555bva03kk2au6oae750pk6nh8upk@4ax.com:
> On 15 May 2009 06:24:56 GMT, WingedMessenger <Boy@FlyingHigh.com>
> wrote:
>
>>"::darkshadows::" <bat@cave.org> wrote in
>>news:f11q05dm4s3lkhaupgjl53vme5asiluq0c@4ax.com:
>>
>>>
>>>
>>> The story of the United Kingdom and the Union Flag
>>>
>>>
>>> Picture 01-- A flag containing three other flags.
>>>
>>>
>>> The Union Flag, popularly known as the *Union Jack, is the national
>>> flag of the United Kingdom. It is the British flag.
>>>
>>> It is called the Union Flag because it symbolises the administrative
>>> union of the countries of the United Kingdom. It is made up up of the
>>> individual Flags of three of the Kingdom's countries all united under
>>> one Sovereign - the countries of 'England, of 'Scotland' and of
>>> 'Northern Ireland' (since 1921 only Northern Ireland has been part of
>>> the United Kingdom). As Wales was not a Kingdom but a Principality it
>>> could not be included on the flag.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ****"'Union Jack' was officially acknowledged as an alternative name
>>> for the Union Flag by the Admiralty and Parliament in the early 20th
>>> century. The term 'jack' refers to the flag that is flown from the
>>> bowsprit of a ship, often denoting nationality."
>>>
>>> ****The Union Flag is commonly known as the Union Jack, although the
>>> exact origin of the name is unclear. One explanation is that it gets
>>> its name from the "jack staff" of naval vessels from which the
>>> original Union Flag was flown.
>>>
>>> ****Historian David Starkey said that the Union Flag is called 'Jack'
>>> because it is named after James l of Great Britain (Jacobus , Latin
>>> for James), who introduced the flag following his accession to the
>>> throne.
>>>
>>>
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>> -------
>>>
>>> The Making of the Union Flag
>>> St George - England
>>>
>>> Picture 02 -- The National Flag of England
>>> England is represented by the flag of St. George
>>>
>>>
>>> In 1194 A.D., Richard I of England introduced the Cross of St.
George,
>>> a red cross on a white ground, as the National Flag of England.
>>>
>>> At this point in the story on the United Kingdom, England, Scotland,
>>> Wales and Ireland were separate countries. However, this was soon to
>>> change....
>>>
>>> In 1536, under Henry VIII, an Act of Union was passed making Wales,
in
>>> effect a province of England.
>>>
>>>
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>> ------------
>>>
>>> Picture 03 -- The Making of the Union Flag
>>> St Andrew - Scotland
>>>
>>> The National Flag of Scotland
>>> Scottish flag
>>>
>>> Scotland is represented by the flag of St. Andrew
>>> (a diagonal white cross form (called a saltire) on a blue field)
>>>
>>>
>>> After Queen Elizabeth I of England died in 1603, King James VI of
>>> Scotland inherited the English throne and became King James I of
>>> England. It was a Union of the Crowns, but not yet of the nations.
>>> Each country still kept their own parliaments.
>>>
>>> Early in his reign James attempted to combine England and Scotland in
>>> a united kingdom of 'Great Britain'. This was the policy he presented
>>> to his first Parliament, called on 22 March 1604. The union was
>>> resisted.
>>>
>>> James defied them. On 20 October 1604 he proclaimed a new title for
>>> himself as 'King of Great Britain'.
>>>
>>> But what flag should be used?
>>>
>>> A problem arose, which flag should be hoisted on the king's ships.
>>> English sailors resented the Scottish colours scotand the Scots
>>> scorned the cross of St. George England.
>>>
>>> In 1606 the problem was solved ........
>>>
>>>
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>> ----------
>>>
>>>
>>> ....... A compromise was the answer and it led to the creation of the
>>> first Union Flag.
>>>
>>> On 12 April 1606, the National Flags of Scotland and England were
>>> united for use at sea, thus making the first Union 'Jack'. Ashore
>>> however, the old flags of England and Scotland continued to be used
by
>>> their respective countries.
>>>
>>> A royal decree declared that the ships of the Kingdom of Great
Britain
>>> "shall bear on their maintops the red cross, commonly called St.
>>> George's cross, and the white cross, commonly called St. Andrew's
>>> cross."
>>>
>>> English flag + Scottish flag
>>>
>>> Picture 04 -- The Union Flag of 1606
>>> The first Union Flag (1606)
>>>
>>> When the red cross of England was put onto the flag of Scotland, a
>>> white border was added around the red cross for reasons of heraldry.
>>> (The rules of heraldry demanded that two colours must never touch
each
>>> other.)
>>>
>>> On 28th July, 1707, during the reign of Queen Anne, this flag was by
>>> royal proclamation made the National flag of Great Britain, for use
>>> ashore and afloat.
>>>
>>> The Act of Union of 1707, joined England and Scotland together,
>>> creating a single kingdom with a single Parliament called 'United
>>> Kingdom of Great Britain'.
>>>
>>> England Wales and Scotland were now united together under one monarch
>>> and one parliament.
>>>
>>> The Royal Navy christened the British flag " The Union".
>>>
>>> Interesting Fact:
>>> When the 'Union Flag' was first introduced, in 1606, it was known
>>> simply as 'the British flag' or 'the flag of Britain'.
>>>
>>> Nearly one hundred years later, another country was added to the
Union
>>> flag ....
>>>
>>>
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>> ----------
>>>
>>> Northern Ireland - St Patrick
>>>
>>> Picture 05 -- Ireland is represented by the cross of St. Patrick
>>> (a diagonal red cross on a white background.)
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On 1 January 1801, Ireland was united with Great Britain and it
became
>>> necessary to have a new National Flag in which Ireland was
>>> represented. The cross St Patrick was combined with the Union Flag of
>>> St George and St Andrew, to create the Union Flag that has been flown
>>> ever since.
>>>
>>> Picture 06 -- Union Flag
>>>
>>> The cross of St. Patrick was inserted so the position given to St.
>>> Andrew's Cross in one quarter was the same as that given to the Irish
>>> one in the diagonally opposite quarter; in heraldry this is known as
>>> "counterchanging"
>>>
>>>
>>> The Union Flag with the St. George's Cross removed showing how the
>>> saltires (diagonal crosses) are counterchanged.
>>>
>>> The 'new' British flag is not symmetrical because of the
>>> counterchange.
>>>
>>> As Scotland joined the Union nearly two hundred years before Ireland,
>>> St Andrew's Cross was placed uppermost in the top quarter nearest the
>>> flagstaff, this being the most honourable position according to
>>> heraldry, while the Irish Cross was given the second most honourable
>>> position, the top quarter of the fly.
>>>
>>> In order to avoid having the red of the Irish Cross directly upon the
>>> blue field of the Scottish one an edging of the white field of the
>>> Irish Cross is used.
>>>
>>> The symbols of Scotland and Ireland are placed sided by side on the
>>> Union Flag.
>>>
>>> England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland were now all joined together and
>>> called the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The name was
>>> later changed to United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
>>> when the greater part of Ireland left the United Kingdom in 1921.
>>>
>>> NB. The St. Patrick's Cross remains in the flag even though today
only
>>> Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom.
>>>
>>>
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>> ----------
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> To summarize...
>>>
>>> The formation of the Union Flag (Union Jack) came about as the result
>>> of the progressive merging of the inhabitants of the British Isles
>>> under one throne.
>>>
>>> 1603 - King James VI of Scotland inherited the English throne and
>>> became King James I of England.
>>>
>>> 1606 - the National Flags of Scotland and England were united for use
>>> at sea, thus making the first Union Flag
>>>
>>> The Union Flag of 1606
>>> The first Union Flag (1606)
>>>
>>> 1707 - during the reign of Queen Anne, the first Union Flag was by
>>> royal proclamation made the National flag of Great Britain, for use
>>> ashore and afloat.
>>>
>>> 1801 - Ireland was united with Great Britain and the present Union
>>> Flag was formed.
>>>
>>> The Union Flag consists of the three heraldic crosses of St George,
St
>>> Andrew and St Patrick.
>>>
>>> The flags of the Patron Saints of England, Scotland and Ireland are
>>> represented on the Union Flag. But, why is Wales not represented on
>>> the Union Flag?
>>>
>>>
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>> -----------
>>>
>>> Why doesn't the Welsh dragon appear on the Union Flag?
>>>
>>> Picture 07 -- Welsh Flag
>>>
>>> The Welsh dragon does not appear on the flag because when the first
>>> Union Flag was created in 1606, Wales was already united with England
>>> from the 13th century. This meant that Wales was a Principality
>>> instead of a Kingdom and as such could not be included.
>>>
>>> In 1536, under Henry VIII, the Act of Union joined England and Wales
>>> officially.
>>>
>>> Please note:
>>> Wales has never been conquered (forcibly take control and possession
>>> of a foreign land) not by the Romans and certainly not the English or
>>> anyone. Partial invasion took place but possession was never
fulfilled
>>> because of the geography and terrain allowed the native population an
>>> ideal base to operate a very effective resistance. There was always a
>>>
>>>
>>> Picture 08 -- What would the Union Flag look like if Wales was
>>> represented?
>>>
>>> In November 2007, a Welsh MP, Ian Lucas, asked parliament why Wales
is
>>> not represented in the Union Jack. Of course, we have the answer here
>>> on our website, but what if Wales was represented, what would the
flag
>>> look like?
>>>
>>> Below you can see Ian Lucas' version of the Union flag with Wales
>>> represented:
>>>
>>> Union Flag with Wales represented
>>>
>>> Does the Union Flag as we know it, have a future?
>>>
>>>
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>> -----------
>>>
>>> The Future of the UK's Flag
>>>
>>>
>>> At the moment, the countries representing the UK, are still united
>>> under one flag. How long this will be so, no one knows. Even now,
each
>>> of the countries which form the United Kingdom, is fighting for its
>>> own independence.
>>>
>>> For the first time since 1707, the Scots now have their own
Parliament
>>> in Edinburgh, and the Welsh their own national assembly in Cardiff.
As
>>> a result, the Scottish saltire and the red dragon of Wales are much
>>> more in evidence.
>>>
>>> Is the Union Flag (Union Jack) on its way out?
>>>
>>> In 1997, British Airways decided to scrub the Union Flag off the
tails
>>> of its airliners and replace it with pictures of jackals from Africa
>>> and other ethnic designs. Its chief executive, Bob Ayling, said that
>>> the airline was no longer a British company with global operations,
>>> but a global company that happened to be headquartered in Britain:
>>> we want to show Britain as modern, not imperial...We still have our
>>>
>>>
>>> Picture 07 -- Nigel Turner's proposed new multicultural union flag,
>>> shown here
>>>
>>>
>>> In 2003, a campaign was launched to try and modernise the red, white
>>> and blue flag by adding a touch of black to reflect multicultural
>>> Britain in the 21st Century. The proposed new flag (see right) was
the
>>> work of Nigel Turner, an enthusiastic fan of the UK's transformation
>>> into a multiracial society over the past 50 years. The campaign was
>>> NOT successful.
>>>
>>> 2007
>>>
>>> More teenagers see themselves as English, Scottish or Welsh rather
>>> than British
>>> A YouGov poll carried out by the Daily Telegraph in 2007 found that
>>> fewer than one third of today's teenagers instinctively think of
>>> themselves as British rather than English, Scottish or Welsh. But,
>>> pressed to say whether they also think of themselves as British, the
>>> great majority say yes. Only 10 per cent of the teenage sample, many
>>> of them Scots, reject a British identity altogether.
>>>
>>> Most people want the United Kingdom broken up
>>> An ICM poll published by the Daily Mail in 2007 suggested that
>>> majorities of voters in both Scotland and England now want the
>>> countries to split.
>>>
>>> The Future?
>>>
>>> Will the Union flag be replaced by four separate flags or will all
the
>>> flags and the Union Jack, be replaced by something else?
>>>
>>> Only time will tell.
>>>
>>> ========================================
>>>
>>>
>>> When is the Union Flag Flown?
>>>
>>> The Union Flag is flown on government buildings on days marking:
>>>
>>> * the birthdays of members of the Royal family,
>>> * Commonwealth Day,
>>> * Coronation Day,
>>> * The Queen's official birthday,
>>> * Remembrance Day and
>>> * on the days of the State Opening and prorogation of Parliament.
>>>
>>> It is also flown on St David's Day (Wales), St George's Day
(England),
>>> St Andrew's Day (Scotland), and St Patrick's Day (Northern Ireland).
>>>
>>> ========================================
>>>
>>
>>AT LAST!! Yes, the UNION JACK is known only as that when flown from the
>>jackstaff of a moored or anchored British Warship. I have spent decades
>>telling the ignorant sods who call the UNION FLAG flying on public
>>building the UNION JACK to get it right. I have even mailed the BBC
>>whose newsreaders are supposed to be so perfect but to not know the
>>correct name of our Flag. Trust a texan to find it and post it LOL x 10
>>Gordon Brown stated some time ago that he wants to see the Union Flag
>>flying on ALL public buildings permanently. Well it sure flies on my
>>jacket lapel permanently.
>>
>>Mercury.
>
>
>
> Aw shucks...
>
> Blushes
>
>
> lol,
> darkshadows
>
> p.s. I also showed how not to display the flag upside down.
>
Yes and that is what got you extra LOLs LOL. I will make you an honorary
Brit yet LOL.
Mercury.
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