Confederate Flag

During the American Civil War (1861–65), the Confederate States of America abandoned the Stars and Stripes, the official flag of the United States. (See American Flag .) The Confederates instead created their own version of a national flag. Over the course of the war, the Confederate Congress adopted three different official flags.

The first flag was adopted on March 14, 1861. It included seven white stars to represent the seven states that had seceded. By the end of the year, that number had increased to thirteen. No official proportions or arrangement of stars were established, and flag makers often defined the design themselves as a result. Though the first flag was intentionally similar to the Stars and Stripes, the Confederate Congress eventually abandoned the design in search of something less reminiscent of the Union .

On May 1, 1863, the Confederate Congress adopted a new flag. This flag had a dominating white field and included the battle flag of the eastern Confederate armies. This flag earned the nickname the “Stainless Banner” for its dominating white field. That trait is also what led the Confederate Congress to adopt another version of the flag, because in calm weather, the Stainless Banner was often mistaken for a flag of truce.

Confederate Legacy

The Confederate flag has been a source of controversy since the Confederate States of America ceased to exist. Many Americans still use the flag personally, and some state flags arguably include Confederate flag designs. Many Americans consider use of the Confederate flag to be a matter of pride in their southern heritage, a symbol of state power, and an exercise of free speech. Many other Americans consider the Confederate flag to be a symbol of slavery , bigotry, and racial oppression.

On March 4, 1865, the Confederate Congress revised the second design to include a noticeable red bar along the end. This flag was short-lived. Confederate forces surrendered in April 1865, and the Confederacy came to an end.