red, white, and blue

Factual Questions
1

What does red, white, and blue on our
American Flag really stand for?

2

IIRC the red indicates the blood spilled by the patriots and white indicates the purity of our intent. Don’t know about the blue.

3

IIRC, the Stars 'n Stripes takes it color cues from the French tricolor: Red - blood of patriots, white - purity, Blue - bravery/honor/valour, etc.

'Course a more modern assessment could be:
Red - bureaucratic red tape
White - a country founded by a bunch of uptight white puritans
Blue - the color of said puritans testes from lack of liberal excercise.

Feel free to burn this post.

“I wouldn’t want to join any club that would have me as a member.” - Groucho Marx

4

mikNY, check out this link http://www.icss.com/usflag/colors.html . Basically, the colors on the flag don’t officially have any meaning, but the colors on the seal do.

5

This is from http://www.usflag.org/colors.html

Alphagene

6

Oooh… beat me to it.

And Strainger’s right, about the Seal having the symbolism and not the flag.

Mea culpa
Alphagene

7

Nope. Stars and Stripes 1776-77. French Republic Tri-color 1789.

If Old Glory’s colors were inspired by any flag, it would be the Union Jack. In fact, a flag with Betsy’s stripes, and the Union Jack in place of the stars, predates her flag.

8

Thanks, PB - I don’t know what I was thinking.

It’s been a long time since French class; maybe they took the color cues from the US? Sounds likely for a bunch of snivelling snooties who had to be saved in WWII: “S’il vous plait, monsieur Nazi man; would you care for some wine? Would you care for my wife?”

9

Speaking from a position of neutrality as an Englishman, I am in no doubt whatsoever that the French copied the colours of their flag from the Union Jack. No doubt at all. :slight_smile:

10

Don’t the colors on the French flag symbolize liberty, equality and brotherhood? Don’t any of you people watch Kieslowski films?