The Meaning of the Flags
American Flag
Meaning:
The colors red, white, and blue did not have meanings for The Stars and
Stripes when it was adopted in 1777. However, the colors in the Great
Seal did have specific meanings. Charles Thompson, Secretary of the
Continental Congress, reporting to Congress on the Seal, stated:
"The colors of the pales (the vertical stripes) are those used in the
flag of the United States of America; White signifies purity and
innocence, Red, hardiness & valor, and Blue, the color of the Chief
(the broad band above the stripes) signifies vigilance, perseverance
& justice."
"The
star is a symbol of the heavens and the divine goal to which man has
aspired from time immemorial; the stripe is symbolic of the rays of
light emanating from the sun."
Gold trim is generally used on ceremonial indoor flags that are used
for special services and is believed to have been first used in a
military setting. It has no specific significance that I have ever run
across, and its (gold trim) use is in compliance with applicable flag
codes and laws.
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South Korean Flag
Meaning:
White is a traditional color of the Korean people. The emblem in the
center of the South Korean flag represents the dual forces of yin
(blue) and yang (red). The yin and yang balance each other and maintain
a harmonious existence by being complementary opposites, positive and
negative, active and passive, male and female, night and day, good and
evil and so on. Yin is the passive or static mode and yang the active
or dynamic mode. The trigrams represent the elements of fire, water,
earth, wood, and metal.
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