Stage Ten of Flags -Flags from different parts of our History

Remember that you should have a notepad or printout of your worksheet. The worksheet is located at the lower part of your Flags Screen. If you do not have a printout then take notes so you can put the information needed in the boxes.

The Adventist Church has divided the world into 13 administrative districts it calls Divisions.

North American Division

The North American Division comprises 10 countries and territories:

Flag of Bermuda

he Flag of Bermuda was adopted on October 4, 1910 with a revision in 1999. The elements are:
British Red Ensign: The flag is the only British territory to use a red ensign form on land (usual the red ensigns are for ships). The other British overseas territories use a version of the blue ensign for general use ashore. Bermuda's use of a red ensign on land is in keeping with Canada (pre-1965) and the Union of South Africa (pre 1928), both of which used red ensigns ashore as local flags in the early part of the 20th century.

Union Flag/Union Jack: in the upper left corner (the canton) signifying the ties to the United Kingdom and also symbolizes oneness and unification. You can explore the meaning of the Union Jack as well.

Coat of arms of Bermuda: centered on the fly half, the coat of arms is a red lion (symbol of England) that is holding a shield that depicts a sinking Sea Venture of Bermuda ship in the center. The flagship of the Virginia Company, the Sea Venture was intentionally crashed into the reefs of Bermuda by its Admiral, George Sommers, in 1609 to avoid a fierce storm. Because of this daring act, 100% of the crew survived. The survivors chose to stay in the island to become the first settlers of Bermuda.

In 1999, the scroll on the coat of arms was updated with the inscription – “ Quo Fata Ferunt” which means “Whither the Fates Carry [Us]”.

Flag of Canada

The flag of Canada was officially adopted on February 15, 1965. The Canadian Red Ensign, bearing the Union Jack and the shield of the royal arms of Canada, was lowered and then, on the stroke of noon, the new maple leaf flag was raised. The crowd sang the national anthem O Canada, followed by the royal anthem, God Save the Queen.

The following words, spoken on that momentous day by the Honourable Maurice Bourget, Speaker of the Senate, added further symbolic meaning to the flag: "The flag is the symbol of the nation's unity, for it, beyond any doubt, represents all the citizens of Canada without distinction of race, language, belief or opinion." The stylish red maple leaf has been the national symbol of Canada for over 150 years. Red and white are the official colors of Canada, proclaimed by King George V in 1921.& St.Pierre and Miquelon (French islands close to Newfoundland with no Adventist presence)

Flag of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon

Saint Pierre and Miquelon are a self-governing territory of France. The stylish flag features a red sailing ship on a blue field. The three-part verticle band on the left side displays the heraldic arms of local settlements established by French colonists from the Basque Country (top), Brittany (center), and Normandy (bottom).&

The Flag of France also flies in Saint Pierre and Miquelon.

Flag of France

Blue and red are the traditional colours of Paris, used on the city's coat of arms. Blue is identified with Saint Martin, red with Saint Denis. At the storming of the Bastille in 1789, the Paris militia wore blue and red cockades on their hats. White had long featured prominently on French flags and is described as the "ancient French colour" by Lafayette.[1] White was added to the "revolutionary" colors of the militia cockade to "nationalise" the design, thus creating the tricolour cockade.[1] Although Lafayette identified the white stripe with the nation, other accounts identify it with the monarchy.[3] Lafayette denied that the flag contains any reference to the red-and-white livery of the Duc d'Orléans. Despite this, Orléanists adopted the tricolour as their own.

Blue and red are associated with the Virgin Mary the patron saint of France, and were the colours of Charlemagne's ensign and war cry, "Montjoie". The colours of the French flag may also represent the three main estates of the Ancien Régime (the clergy: white, the nobility: red and the bourgeoisie: blue). Blue, as the symbol of class, comes first and red, representing the nobility, comes last. Both extreme colours are situated on each side of white referring to a superior order.[4] Lafayette's tricolour cockade was adopted in July 1789, a moment of national unity that soon faded. Royalists began wearing white cockades and flying white flags, while the Jacobins, and later the Socialists, flew the red flag. The tricolour, which combines royalist white with republican red, came to be seen as a symbol of moderation and of a nationalism that transcended factionalism.
The three colours are occasionally taken to represent the three elements of the revolutionary motto, liberté (freedom: blue), égalité (equality: white), fraternité (brotherhood: red); this symbolism was referenced in Krzysztof Kieślowski's three colours film trilogy, for example.

Flag of the United States

United States (excluding Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands which are in IAD)

The flag of the United States features thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing 50 small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and bottom) alternating with rows of five stars; the 50 stars represent the 50 states; the 13 stripes the 13 original colonies. The flag is known as Old Glory, and no one knows for certain who designed it.

Most historians believe that U.S. Congressman, Francis Hopkinson was the original designer, while a few still believe that Betsy Ross, a Philadelphia seamstress, made the first one. ( US Pacific territories of Guam, Northern Marianas, and Wake Island ).

Flag of Guam

The flag of Guam was designed on the island, and officially adopted in 1917. As a territory of the United States it features traditional U.S. colors, along with a symbolic seal that includes a swaying palm tree, sand, and the waters of the Pacific Ocean.

Flag of Northern Mariana Islands

The flag of Northern Mariana Islands was officially adopted in 1972. The islands are a territory of the United States, symbolized by the centered white star. Under that star, a gray latte stone is representative of a traditional foundation stone, one used in building. The surrounding wreath is comprised of colorful local flowers.

Flag of Wake Island

Wake Island flag includes the colors of the US flag, a maps of the 3 islands that make up the territory and three white stars representing those islands. The flag clearly conveys the connection to the United States.

Other Countries

If your country is not listed here, please research and add the info here. The history of national flags is easy to find online.

Flag of Palau

The flag of Palau was adopted on 1 January 1981, when the island group separated from the United Nations Trust Territory and became a republic. Previously, the flag of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands was flown jointly with the United Nations and American flags. Like some other flags of several other Pacific island groups, blue is the colour used to represent the ocean and the nation's place within it.

The flag's very simple design belies the depth of meaning attributed to it. The explanation for the choice of colours is rooted in the history and customs of the Palauan people. The bright blue of the field, which might be assumed to be symbolic of the Pacific Ocean, is in fact a representation of the transition from foreign domination to self-government. The golden disk, which sits slightly off centre toward the hoist, represents the full moon. The Palauans consider the full moon to be the optimum time for human activity. At this time of the month, celebrations, fishing, sowing, harvesting, tree-felling, and the carving of traditional canoes are carried out. The moon is a symbol of peace, love, and tranquility.

Flag of the Marshall Islands

The flag of the Marshall Islands was adopted upon the start of self-governance, May 1, 1979. The flag was designed by Emlain Kabua, who served as the first First Lady of the republic.

The Marshall Islands were part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands administered by the United States, from which the Marshall Islands, Palau, and the Federated States of Micronesia split. In common with other island nations in the region, this flag features the symbolic representation of the islands' place within the ocean. The rising diagonal band represents the equator, the star above representing this Northern Hemisphere archipelago. The white and orange portions of the band represent, respectively, the Ratak Chain ("sunrise") and the Ralik Chain ("sunset"), as well as symbolizing peace and courage. The star's 24 points represent the number of electoral districts, while the four elongated points represent the principal cultural centers of Majuro, Jaluit, Wotje and Ebeye.

Flag of the Federated States of Micronesia

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The flag of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) was adopted on 10 November 1979. The blue field represents the Pacific Ocean, while the four stars represent the states in the federation: Chuuk, Pohnpei, Kosrae and Yap, with the stars arranged like the points of the compass.
The flag brings together element of previous flags flown over the islands. The Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands used a six star flag however the current flag excludes the stars representing Palau, the Marshall Islands and Northern Mariana, which chose not to participate in the Federation, and adds back a star because the Trust Territory flag combined two islands in the group in one of the six stars. The blue and white colors are those of the UN flag which flew over the islands from 1947 - 1965. The idea of stars representing states echos the US flag, which also flew over the islands for many years. (these last three countries are in free association with the United States and with the three US Pacific territories form the Guam-Micronesia Mission, which became part of the North American Division in 2011.)

Other Parts of the World

You can see a list of countries currently associated with the other Divisions and attached regions here. From that list you can assemble a collection of the required flags.

Please listen to the Video for the needed information for the worksheet.