Flags of the Thirteen Colonies
St. George's Cross Flag
While Columbus was in Spain seeking backing for his expedition, a John Cabot was in England on a like mission but with little success, When the news of Columbus' discovery of the new land reached King Henry VII his interest quickly changed. It took over a year to outfit the ship and recruit and train a crew for the expedition.
John Cabot sailed to the new land under the Royal Standard of England flag, a red cross of St. George on a white field, an emblem that was brought back home to England in 1275 by King Edward I when, as Prince of Wales, went on a crusades to the Holy Land.
On June 24, 1497, John Cabot mounted this flag on the shores of Labrador, now a region of the Canada. Except for the Viking flag, it was the first flown over the Americas. On subsequent voyages Cabots would travel as far south as Florida but never built a settlement.
Under this flag the Susan Constant, Godspeed and Discovery, carrying 105 passengers departed from England in December 1606 and reached the Virginia coast in late April 1607, later know as Jamestown. It was also one of the flags flown on the Mayflower when it arrived at Plymouth Rock in 1620.
The Kings Colors flag was flown on the foremast of English merchant ships, with the Union flag on the mainmast (the Scottish ships would have the St. Andrew flag on the foremast, a white cross on a blue filed).
British Grand Union Flag
For centuries the flag of England was the red cross of St. George on a white field. Likewise, for centuries the flag of Scotland was the white cross of St. Andrew on a blue field. In 1603 England and Scotland, after many years of warfare, united under King James I and it became necessary to devise a flag which would typify that union. This was done in 1606 by blending the two crosses together. The Scottish flag was retained as the background for the new flag and the cross of St. George superimposed on it. To retain a semblance of the white field of the English flag, the red cross of St. George was mounted on a strip of white which extends out and beyond the borders of the cross and this makes it prominent and distinct.
The new flag was variously called the King's Colors or the Grand Union Flag. It is the flag under which the English colonization of America and remained the flag of the colonists for more than 100 years.
Taunton Flag
The Taunton Flag was first flag to represent any dissidence amongst the Colonies, this flag was raised in the town of Taunton, Massachusetts as a symbol of the colonies frustration and unwillingness to be persecuted. The flag was the first in a series that would warn the British that the Colonies were a force to be reckoned with and would not accept any loss of their rights or freedom. The bold words "Liberty and Union" reflect the original sentiment of the Colonists, which was to be treated as equal citizens of the British Empire, "No taxation with representation!" rather then be excluded from it.
Philadelphia Light Horse
The Philadelphia Light Horse flag was the first American Armed Forces flag started in the City Cavalry, Philadelphia. The Light Horse of the city of Philadelphia was established alongside the Continental Congress, as the first Colonial troop without ties to the British. They served as a volunteer force under Congress to the Colonies. They remain today as the oldest Americas Armed Forces. They fought valiantly under this flag at the Battles of Trenton, Princeton, Brandywine and German Town. It was also the first flag to have featured the Thirteen Stripes, each representing a colony.
As of October 2014, the troop had 35 active members.
Rhoda Island Regiment
The 1st Rhoda Island Regiment Flag was flown by the Rhode Island Regiment a branch of the Continental Army Regiment who fought in the American Revolution War (1775–1783). It became well known as the "Black Regiment" because it enlist slaves and free blacks and became the first African Americans military regiment. The 1st Rhode Island Regiment became the only regiment of the Continental Army to have segregated companies of black soldiers. The anchor is a symbol of hope and motto which is also expressed blatantly on the flag and had been used for more than a century. The starry canton in the flag of the Rhode Island Regiment symbolized national unity, the Thirteen Colonies, but the white field corresponded to the uniform of the State troops. The original flag may be found in the State House in Providence, Rhoda Island.
Son's of Liberty Flag
Sons of Liberty was an organization of American patriots that originated in the pre-independence North American British colonies. They are best known for undertaking the Boston Tea Party in 1773 in reaction to the Tea Act and a counter-mobilization by the Patriots.
Cross of Burgundy Flag
During the colonization of the Americas by the Spaniards the Cross of Burgundy served as the flag for the territories govern viceroy for the New World and was the flags was used by the Spanish armed forces and the Spanish Navy. The flag still fly's at Castillo de San Marcos National Monument in St. Augustine, Florida and at San Juan National Historic Site in Puerto Rico, the Cross of Burgundy flag is flown daily as a reminder to people today of the impact Spain and its military had for over 400 years.
Serapis Flag
The John Paul Jones flag or "Serapis flag" is noted by it's four irregularly blue stripes and 8 pointed stars. It was flown as a U.S. Ensign from the Serapis a British frigate captured by Caption John Paul Jones in 1779 at the Battle of Flamborough Head off the east coast of Britain after his ship the Bonhomme Richard sank, a ship loaned by the France but sailed under the American flag. During the 19th century this flag was recognized as the American flag by many European nations. The Serapis flag is also known as the "Franklin flag" because Benjamin Franklin describes a similar flag as United States flag in his writing as the ambassador to France.
