Information about Flags

The First "Flags" consisted of symbols attached to the tops of poles. Such flaglike objects appear in Egyptian art of the mid-3000's B.C.Cloth Flags were probably first used in China about 3000 B.C. These flags were made of silk. Knights in the Middle Ages carried square flags with a streamer called a Schwenkel. A knight's promotion to higher rank was symbolised by having the Schwenkel cut off. The resulting flag was called a banner, and the knight became a knight-banneret.
National Flags are among the most recent kinds of flags. They first came into use during the 1700's in Europe and North America. Until then, most flags stood for the personal authority of rulers.

Flags at Sea.
Before the days of radio, a complicated system of flag design and display grew up around the need for communication at sea. Flag codes enabled the sending of messages between ships or from a ship to shore. A ship would salute another vessel by dipping, or lowering, its flag. Such salutes played a major role in international diplomacy.

Flag Colours.
Most national flags use one or more of only seven basic colours. These colours are red, white, blue, green, yellow, black, and orange. Flag Symbols often reflect historical events. The cross that appears in many European flags originated in the flags carried by Crusaders to the Holy Land. Some flags used in Arab nations show the eagle of Saladin, a Muslim warrior who fought the Crusaders in the 1100's. Burning is considered the most dignified way to destroy a flag that is no longer fit for display. But burning a usable flag often signifies political protest.

Badge is an emblem or design, usually on the fly.
Battle Flag is carried by armed forces on land.
Battle Streamer, attached to the flag of a military unit, names battles or campaigns where the unit served with distinction.
Bend On means to attach signal flags to a halyard.
Breadth, a British measurement for flags, is 9 inches (23 centimeters) wide. A four-breadth flag is 36 inches (91 centimeters) wide. The term originated when flag cloth was made in 9-inch (23-centimeter) strips.
Bunting is cloth decorated with the national colours. The term is also used for the woollen cloth used in making flags.
Burgee is a flag or pennant that ends in a swallowtail of two points.
Canton is the upper corner of a flag next to the staff where a special design, such as a union, appears.
Colour is a special flag carried by a military unit or officer. In the armed forces of many countries, regiments and larger units often carry two colours - the national flag and a unit flag.
Courtesy Flag is the national flag of the country a merchant ship or yacht visits, hoisted as the ship enters port.
Device is an emblem or design, usually on the fly.
Ensign is a national flag flown by a naval ship. Some countries also have ensigns for other armed services.
Ensign Staff is the staff at the stern of a ship.
Field is the background of a flag.
Fimbriation is a narrow line separating two other colours in a flag.
Flag Hoist is a group of signal flags attached to the same halyard and hoisted as a unit.
Fly is the free end of a flag, farthest from the staff. The term is also used for the horizontal length of the flag.
Garrison Flag, in the United States Army, flies over military posts on holidays and special days. A garrison flag is 20 feet (6 meters) wide by 38 feet (12 meters) long, twice as wide and long as a post flag.
Ground is the background of a flag.
Guidon is a small flag carried at the front or right of a military unit to guide the marchers.
Halyard is a rope used to hoist and lower a flag.
Hoist is the part of the flag closest to the staff. The term is also used for the vertical width of a flag.
House Flag is flown by a merchant ship to identify the company that owns it.
Jack is a small flag flown at the bow of a ship.
Jackstaff is the staff at the bow of a ship.
Merchant Flag is a flag flown by a merchant ship.
National Flag is the flag of a country.
Pennant is a small triangular or tapering flag.
Pilot Flag is flown from a ship that wants the aid of a pilot when entering port.
Post Flag, in the U.S. Army, flies regularly over every Army base. It is 10 feet (3 meters) wide by 19 feet (5.8 meters) long.
Reeve means to pull the halyard through the truck, raising or lowering a flag.
Staff is the pole a flag hangs on.
Standard is a flag around which people rally. Today, the term usually refers to the personal flag of a ruler, such as the Royal Standard of the British monarch.
State Flag is the flag flown by the government of a country. Many state flags are the same as national flags but with the country's coat of arms added.
Storm Flag, in the U.S. Army, flies over an Army base in stormy weather. It is 5 feet (1.5 meters) wide by 9 feet 6 inches (2.9 meters) long, half as wide and half as long as a post flag.
Truck is the wooden or metal block at the top of a flagpole below the finial (staff ornament). It includes a pulley or holes for the halyards.
Union is a design that symbolizes unity. It may appear in the canton, as the stars do in the U.S. flag. Or it may be the entire flag, as in the Union Flag of the United Kingdom.
Vexillology is the study of flag history and symbolism. The name comes from the Latin word vexillum, which means flag.

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