The History of the Confederate Flag
About the author
BREAKING NEWS
- Who was Harriet Tubman? The Life and Legacy of an American Heroine.
- What were the causes of World War I?
- The Spanish Civil War: How it all started and its aftermath
- How did the Partition of India happen and what were the consequences?
- Hildegard of Bingen: A Renaissance Woman Before Her Time
- What was Watergate?
- Seeking Refuge: International Refugee Policy and the Holocaust
- How did Switzerland stay neutral during World War II?
- Lines In The Sand, part 2: The Mexican-American War
- What is “blackbirding”?
2014 Powered By Wordpress, Goodnews Theme By Momizat Team
6 Comments
Betsy Akerson
This is worth reading.
Maria Pascale Allen
People really really need to read this and it’s origin.
AmberKhrystyne Fulkerson
THIS IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING PPL SHOULD READ IF NOT CORRECTLY EDUCATED IN AMERICAN HISTORY
Jeff Renner
Your article is more than likely incorrect. The so-called “confederate flag” has its origins in the flag of the Army Of Tennessee. The Battle Flag Of Northern Virginia is square and has a border. It is highly unlikely that the popular culture who mistakenly used this flag would see the Virginia flag and bastardize it into the likeness of the flag of the Army Of Tennessee. People don’t do that. They see something and they use it as they found it. You are correct in that it was not used by popular culture as a symbol of the entire confederacy until the 1940s. Where would they get such a mistaken idea that the flag of AOT was the flag of the confederacy? Where popular culture gets everything? Popular media.
A little further investigation into popular media uncovers that one of the most popular films of all time, Gone With The Wind (1939), used this flag in its depiction of the battle of Atlanta. To make his film authentic as possible, Selznick spent a year in the south. It is safe to assume that he would want the flags to be as authentic as possible as well. A little further investigation shows that the Battle Of Atlanta was fought between forces commanded by union General WT Sherman and confederate General JB Hood. At the time, General Hood was the Commander Of The Army Of Tennessee. It only stands to reason that Selznick would select the flag of the Army Of Tennessee for the depiction of the battle of Atlanta.
I do not believe that the sudden emergence of this mistaken flag after the presentation of Gone With The Wind is a coincidence. I submit that the most likely origin of the modern, mistaken “confederate flag” was General Hood’s Army Of Tennessee flag depicted in Gone With The Wind in 1939.
Janice Liptak
Although my heritage is not from the South, I understand the pride and loyalty to the South, since I have pride and loyalty to my own heritage (which is quite blended). This article gives a simplistic objective explanation of the history of the Confederate Flag and why it is so divisive in its interpretation and use.
James
It is too bad that so many have been brainwashed/convinced that this flag should be their symbol of southern pride. IN reality, the people who took up arms against our government (and those who supported them) were treasonous, not heros. Ever since, that flag has been a symbol of racism and hate, but just like many southerners said the war was NOT about slavery, but states rights; well, they now try to pass the same argument about that flag. Each state has it’s own flag, always has. If southerners want a symbol of southern heritage, why not adopt their individual state flag. Heck, the original Confederate flag was similar to the U.S. flag, but with three thick bars an seven to thirteen stars (depending on the version). Why not gravitate to that? Time to move on. The swastika is a sacred symbol in many eastern and European religious cultures. It predates nazi Germany by thousands of years, but is now outlawed in Germany. It happens, get over it and move on.