Flags #4977132

One of the four provinces of Ireland, Leinster is located in the southeast of the Island. The flag of Leinster consists of a Clirseach (Gaelic harp) in gold on a green background: vert a harp or stringed argent. The arms of Leinster are (among other examples) represented on the flag of the provinces of Ireland, as well as in a stylised version in the logo of the Leinster Rugby team. The flag is sometimes used as a symbol of Irish nationalism and to represent the island of Ireland as a whole.

Philadelphia's is the oldest municipal flag in the USA. Some say the colors derive from the Swedish flag, The supporters represent shipbuilding prowess and abundance. The crest is the scales of justice. The shield includes a plow and ship, representing early strengths.

Source: "Flags to Color from the American Revolution." On page 13 is the flag entitled the "Bucks of America." The flag's colors are described as "Buff field, letters; white stars; blue canton, scrolls, flourishes; green leaves, grass; brown buck, trunk." And there is a narrative of the flag, as well:"John Hancock, Governor of Massachusetts, presented this flag after the war to a company of black soldiers for valor. We know little about the Bucks of America; they were among the thousands of black Revolutionary patriots."

The standard of the President of Ireland consists of a golden Clirseach (Gaelic harp) with silver strings on a background of azure blue. The design is the same as the Coat of Arms of Ireland, and was based on the Trinity College Harp. The standard is flown over ras an Uachtarin, the official presidential residence in Dublin. It is also flown at Dublin Castle when the President is in residence and on vehicles used by the President. As with other presidential and Royal Standards, it is never flown at half mast. The Presidential Standard never takes precedence over the flag of Ireland, whereas, for example, the Royal Standard takes precedence over the Flag of the United Kingdom.

The first Pennsylvania State Flag was officially displayed in 1799 when the Pennsylvania Coat of Arms was approved by the General Assembly. The Pennsylvania Coat of Arms first appeared on paper money issued by the state in 1777. The state flags rich history is revealed through the embroidery, containing the emblems of the official state seal of the Provincial Pennsylvania's Penn family. During the Civil War, many Pennsylvania brigades carried a modified version the Stars and Stripes. Substituted for the field of stars on Old Glory was the Pennsylvania Coat of Arms. In June of 1907, the standardization of the flag by the Pennsylvania General Assembly required that the blue field correspond the blue of the Stars and Stripes. Two Draft Horses surround each side of the Coat of Arms and an American eagle rests atop the emblem. The scroll on the flag reads Pennsylvanias motto: Virtue, Liberty and Independence.

In 1794 the new federal government imposed a tax on whiskey-making. Many Pennsylvania farmers saw the tax as unfair and refused to pay! With an independent frontier spirit, 500 armed and outraged farmers attacked and burned the tax collectors office. George Washington had to send 12, 000 soldiers to put down the rebellion.

This is the Easton Flag from Easton, Pennsylvania. The legend attached to it is that it was displayed on 8 July 1776 for the reading of the Declaration of Independence in Easton, Pa. There is no documentation for this. In reality it is in all likelihood the Company Color of Capt. Abraham Horn's Militia Co. from Easton raised during the War of 1812. The original survives at the Easton Public Library.

The four historical Irish provinces are not administrative divisions, and never were. Nowadays, though, they are sometimes used as convenient divisions of the country. From about the middle of the 17th century, coats of arms were attributed to the provinces. Flags representing the four provinces are now widely used, but there seems to be no evidence of their existence before the 20th century. There also exists the "Four Provinces Flag", which occasionally appears as a kind of substitute national flag. It consists of a flag composed of four quarters with the four provincial flags (clockwise, from upper hoist: Ulster, Munster, Connacht, Leinster). Source: Samas Brgin: "The Flags of the Four Provinces".

Old Glory, The Stars and Stripes, the flag of the United States is a symbol for democracy and free society the world over. Blue stands for loyalty, red for courage, white for purity. (Znamierowski and Slater) There are many creation stories associated with the US flag, the most famous is the story of Besty Ross -- who lived across the street from Humphrys' Philadelphia HQ. The Besty Ross flag is a circle of thirteen five-pointed stars. The story goes that Betsy knew how to cut a five-pointed star with one snip of her scissors - a feat that impressed Washington while simplifying production. Betsy Ross' claim as the first US flag maker is disputed by advocates of Francis Hopkinson. The so-called Hopkinson flag places stars in the familiar staggered pattern ordained by Taft in the early 1900s. Was Taft's confirmation of the Hopkinson Stagger also his refute to the recent claim by Ross' decedants? Why a staggered pattern? At the local Dock St Tavern Hopkinson, who also designed the Great Seal of the United States, rubbed shoulders with US founding fathers. As partial payment for the contract to design the US flag - a new constellation of stars - Hopkinson was awarded a barrel of wine. Prior to Taft's flag act the requirements for what constituted a US flag were extremely relaxed - an excellent example being the Easton Flag of Easton, PA. The Easton flag places red and white stripes in the canton while the field is made up thirteen eight-pointed stars, and ovular twelve surrounding a central solitary star. The Bennington Flag is an interesting variation with thirteen seven-pointed stars arranged in a Masonic arch over the numerals "76"; the flag's red and white stripes start and end in white. The Bennington flag and the Easton are to some regarded as regimental flags putting a twist on the design enumerated by the original Flag Resolution; to others these flags are in fact variations of the US flag which at the time would have been considered worthy and righteous symbols of the young USA - plurality of variation being symptomatic of the fiercely independant citizenry. Despite all this flag variation the main elements - stars and stripes - are consistent. However what we think of a star was not always a star. For centuries European heraldry specificed a star as having at least six points. A five-pointed star did not exist, the five-pointed symbol pierced in its center, a mullet or a knight's spur, symbolizes a family's military prestige. Noticably, three red mullets are depicted on Washington's coat of arms over two red stripes separted by a white stripe, all on a field of white. Washington's coat of arms is the basis for the flag of Washington D.C.