Hey, flag! Tell us about yourself!
"I am the French flag, called the Tricolore.
I was first used in 1794 after the French Revolution.
That is when the French people killed the king and set up the Republic of France.
I have been in use ever since.
I am a flag of freedom.
I am called the Tricolore because I have three colors: blue, white, and red.
Blue is the color of St. Martin.
One snowy day, he cut his blue coat in half to share it with a poor beggar.
This color reminds us that the rich must always help the poor.
White is the color of the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus.
Most French people are Catholic, and they honor and respect the Virgin Mary.
This color reminds us that we, like Mary, must be faithful to God.
Red is the color of St. Denis. St. Denis is the protector of Paris, which is our capital city.
This color reminds us to be loyal to France."
Hey, flag! Tell us about yourself.
"I am the flag of Switzerland.
I am a very old flag.
The Swiss people chose me as their flag in 1889, but I was used as a flag by the Holy Roman Empire over 1,500 years ago.
The white cross in the middle of the red background symbolized that the emperor had a duty to protect Christianity.
So my white cross represents Christianity.
Many people throughout the world recognize me as a symbol of peace.
The Swiss are very proud of the fact that we are a neutral country.
This means that we do not choose sides when other countries are at war.
We are also proud that our country is peaceful and democratic.
Whenever people see me, they think of Switzerland, the country with no enemies."
Hey, flag! Tell us about yourself.
"I am the Union Jack, the flag of the United Kingdom.
I did not always look like this.
I am a combination of the Cross of St. George of England, and the Cross of St. Andrew of Scotland, and the Cross of St. Patrick of Ireland.
In the 1200s, I was simply the Cross of St. George, which is a red cross on a white background.
The background of a flag is called the field.
Then in 1603, King James VI of Scotland became King James I of England.
England and Scotland were joined.
So the Cross of St. Andrew was added.
It is a diagonal white cross on a blue field.
This is when I was first called the Union Jack.
Then in 1801, when Ireland became part of the United Kingdom, King George III added the Cross of St. Patrick.
It is a diagonal red cross on a white field.
You can see that I am truly the Union flag.
Wherever you live, remember that your flag is important and always wave your flag proudly."