State Flags

[CutiePie2000]

This is my "state" flag:

'Tis the flag of British Columbia

[scbelle]

Ok, since it's been mentioned, but not posted... for all the smiling faces and beautiful places of South Carolina:

[honeychile]

Originally Posted by scbelle

Ok, since it's been mentioned, but not posted... for all the smiling faces and beautiful places of South Carolina:

I've often wondered shy South Carolina has such an odd moon. Would you know?

[AlethiaSi]

Emblazoned on a dark blue field is the state coat of arms. The goddess Liberty holds a pole with a Liberty Cap on top. Liberty stands for freedom. At her feet is a discarded crown, representing freedom from England at the end of the revolutionary war. On the right is the goddess, Justice. She wears a blindfold and carries the scales of justice. Meaning that everyone receives equal treatment under the law. The state motto "Excelsior" on a white ribbon expresses the idea of reaching upward to higher goals. On the shield a sun rises over the Hudson highlands and ships sail the Hudson river. Above the shield is an eagle resting on a globe representing the Western Hemisphere.

I'm from NY so that's my fave... I also came across Alaska's which I thought was pretty neat:

When the United State purchased the Alaskan region from Russia in 1867, most Americans thought it was a crazy idea. For many years after, Alaska fought to become a state, but Congress refused to admit this cold, desolate place. In 1926, Alaskan members of the American Legion decided they needed more publicity for Alaska, so they held a contest in the grade schools for a design of a territorial flag. Benny Benson, an orphaned 13 year old, won the contest. When Alaska was finally adopted as a state in 1959, the flag design stayed. The only change was the blue hue of the background. Originally it matched the blue of forget-me-nots, the state flower; the revised color matches the blue on the American flag. The stars depict the Big Dipper constellation, symbolizing strength. The North Star was said to represent the future state of Alaska and its far northerly position.

[AlethiaSi]

Originally Posted by honeychile

I've often wondered shy South Carolina has such an odd moon. Would you know?

I got this from wikipedia (so note the source....)

The origin of the crescent as a symbol for Charleston and for South Carolina has been lost to time; however, various theories abound. One hypothesis is that it stems from the crescent as the heraldic symbol of a second son. It is true that many of the early colonists would have been second (and third, etc.) sons who had no inheritance in England, and whose coats of arms would have therefore borne crescents; thus, perhaps the crescent was adopted as a symbol for the colony. An alternative hypothesis notes that crescents are found on the coat-of-arms of the Bull family, which was prominent in the early days of the colony and even produced one of Charleston's more illustrious Royal Governors.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_South_Carolina

[scbelle]

Originally Posted by honeychile

I've often wondered shy South Carolina has such an odd moon. Would you know?

Based on what I learned in SC History (yes, I'm a good Sandlapper!), it is not really a moon, but a depiction of a symbol which Revolution fighters from the state wore on their hats under Colonel Moultrie, who designed the original state flag.

[jon1856]

Originally Posted by Thetagirl218

Yea for the Sunshine State! Please note there are no oranges on flag....nor Disney world...

True no oranges or Disney.
But one does have to wonder if Disney in one way or another is the reason that is flag which was used during the War between the States that the NAACP has not yet protested.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by jon1856

True no oranges or Disney.
But one does have ot wonder if Disney in one way or another is the reason that this is the only flag which was used during the War between the States that the NAACP has not yet protested.

Why in the world would Disney be related to that?

[jon1856]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

Why in the world would Disney be related to that?

Florida $$$$ in tourism
Most likely greater than any other Southern State.
As I posted, one way or another. Did not have to mean directly.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by jon1856

Florida $$$$ in tourism
Most likely greater than any other Southern State.
As I posted, one way or another. Did not have to mean directly.

No, you posted that one had to ask the question. I think it's a silly question and much more related to the fact that the Florida flag doesn't "look" like the common conception of a Confederate flag.

The NAACP has no particular interest in Florida's tourism over that of Myrtle Beach, SC.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by AGDee

Michigan's has similarities to Pennsylvania's...

And to the other 20+ "seal on a blue bedsheet" flags. I mean, I certainly understand that people can love and respect these flags, but one has to admit -- when they're hanging from a flag pole and there is no wind, it can be very hard to distinguish one from another.

Originally Posted by BuckeyeTriDelta

The only flag shaped like a burgee in the U.S. (and I think the world but I might be wrong).

There are plenty of burgees in the world, but no other that I know of as a national or state/provinicial/departmental flag.

Originally Posted by jon1856

But one does have ot wonder if Disney in one way or another is the reason that this is the only flag which was used during the War between the States that the NAACP has not yet protested.

Except that it wasn't used during the Civil War. The current Florida flag wasn't adopted until 1900. This is the flag Florida used during the Civil War:



This is the flag Florida used after the Civil War until 1900:



BTW, South Carolina, Virginia and Texas all currently use essentially the same flags they used during the Civil War, and I don't recall any protests about those flags.

Originally Posted by Tom Earp

Plain and simple may be the key.

Precisely! Like good heraldry, good vexillography (flag design) relies on simplicity and distinctiveness.

Okay, I'm about to get really geeky on all y'all (okay, more geeky than normal )

The North American Vexillological Association did a survey back in 2001 of State, Provincial and Territorial Flags. NAVA members and others were asked to rate flags based on the five basic principles listed in NAVA’s publication on flag design, Good Flag, Bad Flag: How to Design a Good Flag. Those principles are:

• Keep It Simple: The flag should be so simple that a child can draw it from memory

• Use Meaningful Symbolism: The flag’s images, colors, or patterns should relate to what it symbolizes

• Use 2–3 Basic Colors: Limit the number of colors on the flag to three, which contrast well and come from the standard color set

• No Lettering or Seals: Never use writing of any kind or an organization’s seal

• Be Distinctive or Be Related: Avoid duplicating other flags, but use similarities to show connections

(That publication does note that "All rules have exceptions. Colorado's 'C' is a stunning graphic element. Maryland's complicated heraldic quarters produce a memorable and distinctive flag. But depart from these five principles only with caution and purpose.")

The top ten flags were:

1. New Mexico
2. Texas
3. Quebec
4. Maryland
5. Alaska
6. Arizona
7. Puerto Rico
8. The District of Columbia
9. The Marshall Islands
10 South Carolina (my favorite)

The bottom ten were:

63. New Hamphire
64. Idaho
65. Wisconsin
66. Kentucky
67. Minnesota
68. South Dakota
69. Kansas
70. Montana
71. Nebraska
72. Georgia

Note that all of the bottom ten were flags of the seal-on-blue-field variety. (The Georgia flag at the time was the short-lived Denny's Place Mat flag, not the current flag.)

Papers all over the country reported on the survey, especially if their own state or provincial flag scored very high or very low.

Again, just because a flag placed low doesn't mean that the flag isn't meaningful to the people of the state it represents -- just that from a design standpoint, it is a less effective design.

As an aside, I've found it interesting to look at some GLO flags with these design guidelines in mind. Two things I note are that many GLO flags differ from most other flags because the symbolism displayed on them often is esoteric and that Greek Letters can functions as symbols as well as "writing/lettering" or the name of the GLO.

Can you tell I'm really interested in flags?

[jon1856]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Except that it wasn't used during the Civil War. The current Florida flag wasn't adopted until 1900. This is the flag Florida used during the Civil War:



This is the flag Florida used after the Civil War until 1900:



Can you tell I'm really interested in flags?

LOL
Very good report.
Yes, Florida State flag is/was as you reported.
Units carried their own flags as well. Some of which looked very simular to current State flag.
End of my high-jack.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by jon1856

Units carried their own flags as well. Some of which looked very simular to current State flag.

You mean this one:

(You can see a catalog of Florida Confederate flags here; most seem to be based on the Battle Flag of the Army of Northern Virginia, variations of which were used widely in Florida).

It is certainly true that the saltire (X-shaped cross) in the Florida flag is inspired mainly by the Battle Flag. It's also inspired by earlier Spanish ensigns.

[/my highjack as well ]

[BuckeyeTriDelta]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

There are plenty of burgees in the world, but no other that I know of as a national or state/provinicial/departmental flag.

That is what I meant.

[WhiteDaisy128]

I love the Rhode Island flag...I don't live there..but I love it. I'm a DG so I think the reason is obvious!