1

THE BRITISH FLAG

We therefore note that the flag is made up of the flags of these SCOTLAND
countries (except that of Wales since when the flag of the
United Kingdom was defined in 1606, the principality of Wales
was already united with England)
The flag of the United Kingdom is also
known as the Union Jack.
The flag is made up of three flags:
The red cross of St. George (St. George) on a white
field of England. ENGLAND
The white diagonal cross of St. Andrew (St. Andrew)
on a blue field for Scotland.
The diagonal red cross of St. Patrick (St. Patrick) on a
white field for Ireland.

IRELAND NORD
KINGDOM
 The Union Jack
Union Jack is the second name of the
British flag and it is bowsprit flag.
Jack means friend, sailor, etc. This
name of flag is used in maritime
sector.
 SOME CURIOSITIES ABOUT THE FLAG
1. Northern Ireland and Scotland have a second flag, but this is not an official
flag.
2. The flag is not symmetrical, because it was designed to be raised correctly.
This is why the red line of the St. Patrick's Cross has more white space in
the upper portion than in the lower one.
3. The flag has also been merged with other flags, as we must not forget that
the United Kingdom was a colonial power. As many as 20 countries have
references to this flag in their (Australia, Fiji Islands, Tuvalu ...)
4. Additionally, the flag of the United Kingdom can be found by studying the
local flags of the former colonies (Ontario or Manitoba in Canada or Tauton
and Baton Rouge in the U.E.).
5. The Hawaiian flag is a cross made by mixing the EE.UU flag. and that of
the United Kingdom, as Hawaii acted as a bridge between the two
countries.
6. Its appearance has caused musicians such as the Sex Pistols, the Spice
Girls, Queen, The Who or Iron Miden to use this flag in their producs.
7. it is always thanks to its very recognizable appearance, and due to the few
rules that regulate its possible use, the flag of the United Kingdom has been
reproduced on a large number of objects in all parts of the world.
 THE HISTORY OF FLAG
The flag has had three versions in history:
-the first in 1606 with King James VI which he
merged the England with the Scotland and their flags
also;
-the second in 1707 when the flag became the flag of
the new state: Great Britain.
In this way it was denied to change the position of
the cross in the flag in each country;
-the last in 1801 with the act of union of 1801 that it
merged Great Britain with the kingdom of Ireland
and their flags were merged together.
----Today in the flag of Great Britain there isn’t the
flag of Wales ( the dragon ) because in the past the
Wales was one part of the England.----
DIFFERENT USE OF THE
FLAG Pt1
St Patrick's saltire
Because of the relative positions of the saltires of St Patrick and St
Andrew, the UK flag is not symmetrical. The red saltire of St Patrick is
offset such that it does not relegate the white saltire of St Andrew to a
mere border. St Andrew's saltire has the higher position at the hoist side
with St Patrick's saltire in the higher position on the opposite side.
Half-mast
The Union Flag is flown from Government buildings at half-mast in the
following situations:
from the announcement of the death of the Sovereign (an exception is
made for Proclamation Day – the day the new Sovereign is proclaimed,
when the Flag is flown at full mast from 11 am to sunset)
the day of the funeral of a member of the British Royal Family
the funeral of a foreign Head of State
the funeral of a former British Prime Minister
The Sovereign sometimes declares other days when the Union Flag is to
fly at half-mast. Half-mast means the flag is flown two-thirds of the way
up the flagpole with at least the height of the flag between the top of the
flag and the top of the flagpole.
 DIFFERENT USE OF THE FLAG PT2
GF

The Union Flag can be flown by any individual or

organisation in Great Britain on any day of their
choice. Legal regulations restrict the use of the
Union Flag on Government buildings in Northern
Ireland. Long-standing restrictions on Government
use of the flag elsewhere were abolished in July
2007.
While the flag appears symmetric, the white lines
above and below the diagonal red are different widths.
On the side closer to the flagpole (or on the left when
depicted on paper), the white lines above the diagonals
are wider; on the side farther from the flagpole (or on
the right when depicted on paper), the converse is
true. Thus, no change will be apparent when rotating
the flag 180 degrees, but if mirrored the flag will be
upside-down.