Emblems of the UK
Emblems of the UK
1.
National emblems of the United Kingdom
The
United Kingdom (abbreviated from «The United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland») is the political name of the country which consists of
England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland (sometimes known as Ulster).
Great Britain is the name of the island
which is made up of England, Scotland, Wales, whereas the British Isles is the
geographical name of all the islands off the north-west coast of the European
continent.
In everyday speech «Britain» is used to
mean the United Kingdom.
The
flag of the United Kingdom, known as the Union Jack, is made up of three
crosses. The upright red cross on a white background is the cross of the 1St
George, the patron saint of England. The white diagonal cross on a blue
background is the cross of St. Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland. The red
diagonal cross on a white background is the cross of St. Patrick, the patron
saint of Ireland.
The
Welsh flag, called the Welsh dragon, represents a red dragon on a white and
green background.
St.
George's Day falls on 23 April and is regarded as England national day. On this
day some patriotic Englishmen wear a rose pinned to their jackets. A red rose
is the national emblem of England from the time of the Wars of the Roses (15th
century).
St. Andrew's Day (the 30th of November) is
regarded as Scotland's national day. On this day some Scotsmen wear a thistle
in their buttonhole. As a national emblem of Scotland, thistle apparently first
used in the 15-th century as a symbol of defence. The Order of the Thistle is
one of the highest orders of knighthood. It was founded in 1687, and is mainly
given to Scottish noblemen (limited to 16 in number).
St.
Patrick's Day (the 17-th of March) is considered as a national day in Northern
Ireland and an official bank holiday there. The national emblem of Ireland is
shamrock. According to legend, it was the plant chosen by St. Patrick to
illustrate the Christian doctrine of the Trinity to the Irish.
St.
David's Day (the 1-st of March) is this church festival of St. David, a
6th-century monk and bishop, the patron saint of Wales. The day is regarded as
the national holiday of Wales, although it is not an official bank holiday.
On
this day, however, many Welshmen wear either a yellow daffodil or a leek pinned
to their jackets, as both plants are traditionally regarded as national emblems
Wales.
In
the Royal Arms three lions symbolize England, a lion rampant – Scotland, and a
harp – Ireland. The whole is encircled and is supported by a lion and a
unicorn. The lion has been used as a symbol of national strength and of the
British monarchy for many centuries. The unicorn, a mythical animal that looks
like a horse with a long straight horn, has appeared on the Scottish and
British royal coats of arms for many centuries, and is a symbol of purity.
2.
History of the flag of the United Kingdom
The
flag of She United Kingdom is officially called the Union flag, because it
embodies the emblems of three countries united under one monarch. The Union
Flag is commonly known as the Union Jack, although the exact origin of the name
is unclear.
One
explanation is that it gets its name from the «jack staff» of naval vessels (a
small flagpole at the front of Royal Navy vessels) from which the original
Union Flag was flown.
The
emblems that appear on the Union Flag are the crosses of the three patron
Saints: Wales is not represented on the Union Flag because by the time the
first version of the flag appeared, Wales was already the part of England.
The
Welsh Flag, a red dragon on a field of white and green, dates from the
fifteenth century.
The
Union Flag underwent a gradual development. The first one was created in 1606,
when England and Scotland were united under one King James I, by combining the
flags of St George and St Andrew.
In
the seventeenth century, the flag underwent several changes. After the
execution of Charles I in 1649, Oliver Cromwell, the Lord Protector, introduced
a special Commonwealth flag consisting of St George's cross and the gold harp
of Ireland. When Charles II was restored to the throne in 1660 he reintroduced
the Union Flag of James I.
The
final version of the Union Flag appeared in 1801, following the union of Great
Britain with Ireland, with the inclusion of the cross of St Patrick. The cross
remains on the flag although only the northern part of Ireland now remains part
of the United Kingdom.
List
of books
1. Bondarenko
Ye.V. «Focus on the United Kingdom». – Kharkiv, 2006.
2. Karpenko O.V.
«The
Article is «Flag of Great Britain». – Kyiv, 2005.
3. Romanenko S.M.
«World
countries – Great Britain. Reference book». – Kharkiv, 2005.
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