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The First National Flag of the Confederacy-the "Stars and Bars"
The origianl version of the Confederate flag, the Stars and Bars, had seven stars to symbolize the first seven states to secede from the Union:South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas. In its final form it contained thirteen stars to represent the six stars that seceded from the Union too(two of which: Kentucky and Missouri tried to secede also but failed in the process) the four states that did break free were Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina, Tennessee. -
The Confederate Battle Flag-the "Southern Cross"
The stars on this battle flag represents the eleven states in the Confederacy, including Kentucky and Missouri. The Confederate battle flag eventually developed wide acceptance throughout the Confederacy, but it was by no means the only battle flag. The Stars and Bars continued to be used, and after it was replaced with a new national flag, that flag- the "Stainless Banner"- also appeared on the battlefield. Also, some states even used their own battle flags in combat. -
The Second National Flag of the Confederacy-the "Stainless Banner"
On May 1, 1863, another national flag was adopted, it is known as the "Stainless Banner" because of its white field. The "Southern Cross" battle flag appeared on the white canton on a white field. The flag's official first use was when it was used as the covering of Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson's casket. It served as a battle falg too though. It introduced its own confusion thoguh because it was commonly mistaken for a surrendering flag because of all it's white. -
The Third National Flag of the Confederacy
The final version of the Confederate flag was adopted just a month before the end of the Civil War. A wide band of red was added to the far right side of the Stainless Banner flag so it would not be mistaken anymore for a flag of a surrender -
Mississippi's Confederate Flag
In 1894, Mississippi changed it's flag from a drawing of a magnolia,the state flower, to the Confederate battle flag onto it. Legislaters argued about the Confederate symbol on the flag because not only is the Southern cross an emblem of racism, but a person's views and thoughts of the meaning of the flag. The flag has caused such a controversy that it should be enough to change it, a state flag should be a symbol of unity not diversity (36% of Mississippi's population is black.) -
Arkansas' Confederate Flag
The Arkansas state flag was approved in 1913, it's design included references to it's former ownership by three countries-France, Spain, and the United States-the fact that Arkansas is the only state where diamonds have been discovered, and its coming into the United States as the twenty-fifth state. In 1923, it was pointed out that the flag made no reference to Arkansas' role in the Confederacy. The year following, a blue star was added to the flag to represent Arkansas' Confederate heritage. -
Georgia's Confederate Flag
In 1956 Georgia adopted a new state flag that, like Mississippi's, included the Confedeate battle flag in its design. The flag, intorduced tow years after the Brown vs. Board of Education(1954), showed the Georgia legislature's protest against forced intergration. In 1993, Gov. Zell Miller attempted and failed to convince the Georgia legislature to drop the Confederate from the flag.
