What do british people call the national flag

flag of the United Kingdom

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The earliest form of the flag of Great Britain, developed in 1606 and used during the reigns of James I (1603–25) and Charles I (1625–49), displayed the red cross of England superimposed on the white cross of Scotland, with the blue field of the latter. Because in heraldry a red on blue is not considered permissible, the red cross had to be bordered with white, its own correct field. During the Commonwealth and Protectorate period (1649–60), the Irish harp was incorporated in the flag, but it resumed its original form on the Restoration of Charles II in 1660. It continued in use until January 1, 1801, the effective date of the legislative union of Great Britain and Ireland. In order to incorporate the Cross of St. Patrick (a red diagonal cross on white) while preserving the individual entities of the three crosses, the heraldic advisers to the sovereign found an elegant solution. The existing white Cross of St. Andrew was divided diagonally, with the red appearing below the white on the hoist half of the flag and above it on the fly half. To avoid having the red cross touch the blue background, which would be contrary to heraldic law, a fimbriation (narrow border) of white was added to the red cross. In the centre, a white fimbriation also separated the Cross of St. Patrick from the red Cross of St. George.

The UK Flag: Why is it Called the Union Jack?

Before getting into the reason why the UK’s flag is called the Union Jack, it’s rational to explain its combination first. The United Kingdom consists of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Irelands. Taking this into account, we can now explain how the country’s current flag is a combination of three older national flags; St George’s Red Cross of the kingdom of England, St Andrew’s white saltire of Scotland, and St Patrick’s red saltire of the Irelands.

The origin of the flag of Great Britain dates back to 1606 when James VI united England and Scotland. The flag is referred to as Union Jack or Union Flag interchangeably as an indication of the unity of these three older nations.

In other words, if you look at the original flag of Ireland, Scotland’s flag and England’s one too and imagine them one above the other, you’ll see the UK’s current flag vivid and clear, representing their unity.

But that’s the Union, what about the Jack? Before the 17th century, the word Jack was used as a description for the maritime bowsprit flag and when warships used to mount the UK flag on the front, it was called «the Jack». In 1801 when King George called the new flag the Union Flag, the Royal Navy, which was powerful at the time, referred to it as the Union Jack, so the name stuck.

Union Jack Upside-Down

Be careful when you hang the flag, as hanging it upside-down is conveyed as an offensive gesture! So always make sure that the red line in the top-left corner is at the bottom of the white cross.

English Flag vs. British Flag

England is a part of Great Britain, while Great Britain is a part of the United Kingdom. England’s flag is called the St. George’s Cross, while Great Britain’s official flag is called Union Flag or the Union Jack as explained earlier.

Now that you know about their flag, you can learn more about their geographical territories from our The Difference Between the UK, Great Britain and England blog article.

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Why is the British Flag Called the Union Jack?

The flag of the United Kingdom, often known as the «Union Jack».

Aside from the Union Flag or the Royal Union Flag (in Canada), the national flag of the United Kingdom is also commonly known as the Union Jack. Aside from the UK, the Union Jack is also the official flag of British Overseas Territories. In addition, the flag appears on the upper left-hand region of the flags of some countries, especially those that were once colonies of Britain. The flag’s design dates all the way back to 1603 during the reign of King George III. The design of the Union Jack features three symbols, namely the red cross of Saint George, the Saltire of Saint Andrew, and the Cross of St Patrick, which is also red. All these three symbols, which represent England, Ireland, and Scotland, are on a blue background.

Naming

The naming of the flag can be traced back to the 17 th century after the demise of the monarch who was Queen Elizabeth I of England in 1603. At that time, the kingdoms of England and Scotland had not been united. At the time of her death, Elizabeth I did not leave any heirs since she had not been married. King James VI of Scotland was the only surviving heir and, therefore, became the next king of England. The ascension of James VI saw to it that the two kingdoms had a similar monarch, which is why his ascension was called the union of the crowns.

A few years after his ascension in 1606, King James VI issued a decree for the creation of the British flag. Since there were only two kingdoms under his leadership, he decreed that the flag had to have both the crosses of St. Andrew and St. George to represent Scotland and England respectively. The resulting flag that was designed was one of the first designs of the Union Jack. However, it is important to note that when the flag was first released, it was not known as the Union Jack or the Union Flag. Instead, it was simply known as the flag of Britain or the British flag. The royal decree from the king did not state that the flag had to be called the Union Jack.

Possible Theories for the Origin of «Union Jack»

One of the most popular theories is that the nickname originated from naval usage. This theory has been disputed in recent times after more investigations. However, it is important to note that the maritime bow flag was commonly known as the “jack” even before the flag was designed. During the union of 1801, there were several mentions of the flag that were made by the king. The flags at sea were known by several names such as pendants, ensigns, flags, and jacks. This theory most likely arose from these proclamations.

Another possible theory could have been the international reputation of the British Royal Navy since most British ships used the term “jack” to refer to flags. Over the years, the name was also popularized by political figures such as Winston Churchill who was the Prime Minister of the UK between 1940 and 1945.

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So many countries all over the world
So many people life tales told
Different cities, languages, poems,
Amazing traditions, legends, stories.

We travel East, we travel West
To know so much is best,
If South is warm, North is cold,
We start our trip and off we go!

NORTHERN
IRELAND
THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND
WALES
SCOTLAND
ENGLAND
BELFAST
EDINBURGH
LONDON
CARDIFF

What do we know about the UK?
How many countries does the UK consist of?
The UK consists of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
What is the capital of the country?
The capital of the country is London.
What is the official name of the whole country?
The official name of the UK is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and the Northern Ireland.

When was this name first used?
This name was first used in 1707.
How many islands does the UK consist of?
The UK consists of more than 5000 islands of different sizes.
What is the name of the largest island?
The name of the largest island is Great Britain.
What do British people call the national flag?
British people call it “the Union Jack”.
What is the official language of the country?
English is the official language of the UK.

Name the symbols connected with the United Kingdom

SYMBOLS
OF ENGLAND, SCOTLAND, WALES AND NORTHERN IRELAND.

ENGLAND
The capital of England is London.

The flag of England is called the St. George’s Cross after the name of the patron saint of the country. A story dating back to the 6th century tells that St George rescued a maiden from fire-breathing dragon.

SCOTLAND
The capital of Scotland is Edinburgh.

The national emblem and the symbol of Scotland is the flower called the thistle. The thistle, a prickly-leaved purple flower which was first used in the 15th century as a symbol
of defenсe.

Wales
Cardiff is the capital of Wales.

The national symbol of Wales is the daffodil. St David’s Day is commemorated by the wearing of daffodils or leeks. Both plants are traditionally regarded as national emblems.

The Red Dragon is the name of the flag of Wales. The Welsh dragon does not appear on the flag of the UK because when the first Union Flag was created in 1606, Wales was already united with England from the 13th century.

Northern Ireland
Belfast is the capital of Northern Ireland.

The national symbol of the Northern Ireland is the clover (the shamrock). According to the legend, St. Patrick, the patron of Ireland, illustrated the concept of the Holy Trinity with the help of shamrock during the process of
Christianization of the state.

The flag of Northern Ireland is called the St. Patrick’s Cross. Now the Union Jack is Northern Ireland’s official flag. The well known Red Hand Flag (shown at the bottom) has not been officially used since 1973.

Answer the questions

What country is this flag of?

What country is this emblem of?

What country is this flag of?

What country is this emblem of?

What country is this flag of?

What country is this symbol of?

Complete the sentences

The capital of Scotland is…

The capital of England is ….

The capital of Wales is ….

The capital of Northern Ireland is …

Correct the following sentences:
London is the capital of France.
The UK consists of three parts.
Edinburg is the capital of Northern Ireland.
Belfast is the capital of Wales.
The colors of the British flag is white, green and blue.
The national flag of the UK is named The Red Dragon.
The red rose is a the floral symbol of Scotland.
Leek is the symbol of Northern Ireland.
David is the patron of England.
We can find the Red Dragon on the Union Jack.
The official language of the UK is French.
The thistle is the national symbol of Wales.

Look at the pictures and speak about England:
Remember to say about:
Its capital
Its flag
Its symbol

Look at the pictures and speak about Scotland:
Don’t forget to say about:
Its capital
Its flag
Its symbol

Look at the pictures and speak about Wales:
Speak about:
Its capital
Its flag
Its symbols

Look at the pictures and speak about Northern Ireland:
Remember to say about:
Its capital
Its flag
Its symbol

NORTHERN
IRELAND
THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND
WALES
SCOTLAND
ENGLAND
BELFAST
EDINBURGH
LONDON
CARDIFF

National symbols may be official and unofficial. Flag and anthem refer to the first group, while floral and fauna emblems, folk costume or some signs are associated with a state by its residents and other nations. However, all of them reflect country’s history and traditions.
One of the most interesting legends is about how the thistle became the emblem of Scotland. The legend tells of how Vikings tried to attack a party of Scottish warriors under cover of darkness. To avoid noise the king ordered his band of Vikings to remove their footwear. Unfortunately, one of the attackers stood on the prickly thistle and shrieked in pain. The warriors were alerted of the attack and Vikings were defeated by the Scots.
In gratitude of this victory, the plant became known as the Guardian Thistle and was then adopted as the national symbol of Scotland.
There’s no historical evidence to back up the tale, however the story was probably based on a real event in the history of Scotland.

Translate from English into Russian
1. Duke always has trouble using the computer.
У Дюка постоянно возникают проблемы с использованием компьютера.
2. Our grandmother had trouble with sleeping.
У нашей бабушки были проблемы со сном.
3. In summer children usually have much free time.
Летом у детей много свободного времени.
4. Nick had a good experience in English at summer language camp.
Ник имел большой опыт использования английского языка в летнем языковом лагере.

Translate from English into Russian.
1. London is rich in historical museums and wonderful parks.
Лондон богат историческими музеями и прекрасными парками.
2. Moscow is a beautiful town rich in culture and traditions.
Москва – это красивый город, богатый культурными традициями.

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THE HISTORY AND MEANING OF THE UNION JACK OR UNION FLAG

The British Flag: a symbol of Unity

The Union Jack is a transnational flag full of historical significance. It represents the union of different countries and the growth of a family of nations whose influence extends far beyond the British Isles. This far-reaching influence is still seen today in the incorporation of the Union Jack in other national flags such as that of Australia. The British flag is called the “Union Jack”, an expression that needs to be explained.

The Union Jack is a fine expression of unity as well as diversity. The British flag incorporates the national symbols of three distinct countries, England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. In fact its name “Union Jack” emphasises the very nature of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland as a union of nations. The flag is also known by another name, this too, emphasising the idea of union: the “Union flag”, perhaps a less common term but a little more precise. The countries comprising the British Isles are not inward-looking or isolated states with an insular mentality; together they constitute a powerful union that has spanned centuries. Recent devolution that gave Scotland its own Parliament and Wales its own Assembly has also emphasised the importance of individual national identities within the union without affecting the essential unity of Great Britain. On the contrary, it has strengthened it. Recognition of, and respect for national identities are an essential ingredients for effective union. The Union Jack symbolises all this: respect for individuality within a closely knit community.

The “Union Jack” or “Union Flag” is a composite design made up of three different national symbols:

St. George’s Cross, the flag of England	St. Andrew’s Cross, the flag of Scotland

St. Patrick’s Cross, the flag of Ireland

The cross represented in each flag is named after the patron saint of each country: St. George, patron saint of England, St. Andrew, patron saint of Scotland and St. Patrick, patron saint of Ireland.

The image below renders the idea of the union of the three flags forming one unified, transnational Flag.

The image below renders the idea of the union of the three flags forming one unified, transnational Flag.

No mention has been made of the Welsh flag. The Welsh dragon was not incorporated into the Union Flag because Wales had already been united to England when the first version of the Union Flag was designed in 1606. It is, however, in common use:

The Welsh Dragon

THE HISTORY OF THE UNION JACK

The first step taken in the creation of the flag of Great Britain was on 12th April 1606. When King James VI of Scotland became king of England (King James I) it was decided that the union of the two realms under one king should be represented symbolically by a new flag. Originally It consisted in the red cross of England superimposed on the white cross of Scotland on the blue background of the Scottish flag as in this illustration:

Thus we have the first flag of the union called, in fact, the “Union Flag”.

What was meant to be a symbol of unity actually became a symbol of international controversy. The English resented the fact that the white background of their cross had disappeared and that the new flag had the blue Scottish background. On the other hand the Scottish resented the fact that the English red cross was superimposed on the Scottish white cross!! The old adage says you cannot please everyone but this first version of the Union Flag seemed to please no-one!!

Apparently there was an unofficial “Scottish version” that attempted to rectify the sense of injustice that the Scottish felt at this innovatory flag. A distinct reference was made to this version when the King visited Dumfries in 1618. Here is what it looked like:

The controversy was destined to last!! There is conflict in the best of families!!

However, the flag was usually restricted to use at sea until the two kingdoms of Scotland and England were united in 1707. It was most probably from this use at sea that it got the name “Jack” (“Union Jack“). It was usually flown at the bow end of the ship, from the jack staff.

An attempt was made to modify the flag under Oliver Cromwell. A harp was placed in the centre, representing Ireland. However, the original design was restored along with the restoration of the monarchy in 1660.

The flag continued to be used in its original form until Jan. 1, 1801. At that time, with the union of Ireland and Great Britain, it became necessary to represent Ireland in the Union Flag and so the cross of St. Patrick was include thus creating the flag as we now have it. When the southern part of Ireland gained its independence in 1921 and became the Irish Free State no alteration was made to the Union Jack.

The name “Union Jack” became official when it was approved in Parliament in 1908. It was stated that “the Union Jack should be regarded as the National flag”.

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