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Florida (U.S.)

image by Clay Moss, 28 January 2009

Origin of the red diagonal cross
Legal description
Pre-1985 flag
"Five flags over Florida"
State Seal
State Military Crest
Florida Flags 1845-1900
Florida Flags Prior to 1845

County and municipal flags of Florida

See also:

External links:

In 1845, a star was added, representing Florida, bringing the total number of stars on the U.S. flag to 27. There were thirteen stripes representing the thirteen original colonies.

Origin of the red diagonal cross

The red diagonal cross is based on the Confederate war flag. [Hesmer 1992]
Jan Kuhlmann, 4 December 1995

The "Cross of Burgundy" (argent, sauteur gules raguely) was one of the standards of Spain used by the Spanish Military in the South Eastern U.S. I'm not sure, but it just struck me that this may be the inspiration for the Alabama and Florida flags.
Nathan Bliss, 20 January 1998

The flag was adopted in 1900. It was revised in 1985 to conform to a corrected state seal. The previous state seal had several errors. The revised Seal has a Seminole Indian woman rather than a Western Plains Indian, the steamboat is more accurate, and the cocoa palm has been changed to a sabal palm as the legislature prescribed in 1970.
Nick Artimovich, 31 July 1996

While both the modern Alabama and Florida state flags may have some historical tribute to Spanish rule in their design - both were definitely patterned after the battle flags of the Army of Northern Virginia - under which the bulk of the troops from both states fought.

Both of these flags have documentation stating the influence of the ANV battle flags in their design - particularly the flag of Alabama - which was created under the administration of Governor William Oates. Oates was a former regimental commander in the ANV. He is most famous for leading the confederate assault on Little Round Top at the Battle of Gettysburg.

Greg Biggs, 21 December 1999

Legal Description

Florida Statutes
15.012 State flag. The state flag shall conform with standard commercial sizes and be of the following proportions and description: The seal of the state, in diameter one-half the hoist, shall occupy the center of a white ground. Red bars, in width one-fifth the hoist, shall extend from each corner toward the center, to the outer rim of the seal.
Joe McMillan, 10 February 2000

Pre-1985 flag

image by Clay Moss, 28 January 2009

Five Flags over Florida

The term "Five Flags over Florida" usually refers to five nations that have exerted sovereignty over part of Florida: Spain, France, Great Britain, the USA and the CSA.
Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, 3 December 2001

It may be worth reiterating that these five/six/seven flags over whatever things are basically tourism-mongering and probably meaningless from a vexillological point of view. Florida in fact had many other flags raised over parts or all of it, as documented at Florida Flags 1845-1900 and Florida Flags Prior to 1845.
Joe McMillan, 3 December 2001

State Seal

image by Clay Moss, 30 January 2009

15.03 State seal. The great seal of the state shall be of the size of the American silver dollar, having in the center thereof a view of the sun's rays over a highland in the distance, a sabal palmetto palm tree, a steamboat on water, and an Indian female scattering flowers in the foreground, encircled by the words "Great Seal of the State of Florida: In God We Trust."
Joe McMillan, 10 February 2000

State Military Crest

image by Joe McMillan, 21 April 2000

The state military crest, which is the crest used in the coats of arms of units of the National Guard, as granted by the precursor organizations of what is now the Army Institute of Heraldry. The official Institute of Heraldry blazon is "An alligator statant proper."
Joe McMillan, 21 April 2000