But each new flag design was a version of the old design. When they separated, each country chose a new flag design. Before 1838, these countries were joined together as the United Provinces of Central America. Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica all use the colors blue and white in their flags. Voice 2įlags may also use similar colors or designs to show unity with other nations around them. The green flag tells people who do not live in Libya that many people in Libya practice Islam. But this colour represents an important idea for the people of Libya. Voice 1įlags also represent values and ideas by using colour. The flag tells other people that this is an important tree in Lebanon. The cedar tree is a very popular tree in Lebanon. The symbol on the Lebanese flag is a Cedar tree.

Here are a few examples of how flags use symbols and colour to send their messages. You probably know what the colors and symbols on your flag mean. Each flag’s colour, symbols and design represent the people, government, land or ideas in a country or group. A person can read the message of a flag just by looking at it. Instead, flags communicate with colors, symbols, and design. They do not need words to send a message. But flags do not communicate with language. But why are all these different flags needed? Voice 1įlags are very good at communicating messages. Countries, states, cities, and even some small people groups have flags. Swiss flag, Image by Erich Westendarp from Pixabay Voice 2Īnd flags are not just for countries! Groups like the United Nations, the Red Cross, and the European Union all have flags. But some are square, like the flag of Switzerland. Most flags are shaped like rectangles, or long squares. Many Christian groups use a cross on their flags. Some flags use religious symbols like crosses. Other flags use symbols from nature, like leaves, trees, or animals. The number of stars on a flag may tell how many parts of something are united in some way. For example, when you see a star on a flag, it usually represents unity. People have used these symbols for a very long time. When a king sent his people to battle, his enemies could see his symbol. These pictures, or symbols, on the flags represented ideas, people, or gods. Flag designers started to put important pictures on the flags. Listen to the Advanced version of this program Voice 2Īfter a time, other cultures also began to use flags. Each group fighting in a battle carried a different colour flag. A flag showed other people who was fighting in a battle. Voice 1īut flags had an even more important purpose in battle. Flags also showed which way the wind was blowing. Generals watched the flag to know where their soldiers were. One soldier had the special job of carrying the flag.

They believed that their flags would please their gods and help them win the battles. They carried these long poles when they fought in battles. Egyptians made the first flags by tying long pieces of cloth to the end of very long poles. People who study history believe that the first people to use flags lived in ancient Egypt. But flags often do tell their own stories. Not every flag has such an exciting story in its history. It became the official design of the Austrian flag in the year 1919. It was red with a white stripe in the middle. It was white underneath the belt he was wearing around his waist. But there was one stripe of white on his coat.

After the battle he took his cloth coat off. Duke Leopold the fifth, of Austria, was in a battle.

Flag with red and white stripes only