1. The History of the Mexican Flag By: Maria Moreno Professor Arguello History 30

2. The History of the Flag The design of the Mexican flag had first been used as early as in 1821. It was then that the first Mexican National Flag was created. The flags, which were designed during Mexico's War of Independence, highly influenced the design of the first national flag of Mexico. Many historians believe that the Standard of the Virgin of Guadalupe was the first Mexican flag.

3. The Symbolizing Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, a Mexican Roman Catholic priest and revolutionary leader carried it during the Grito de Dolores, the battle cry of the Mexican War of Independence on September 16, 1810. The army of the Mexican War of Independence used the Standard as their symbol. During that war, the revolutionary leader, Jose Maria Morelos used a flag that bore the image of the Virgin and an insignia depicting a crowned eagle on a cactus over a three-arched bridge. It also contained the three letters V.V.M. that was a message saying," Long live Virgin Mary". Apart from these flags, the army also used a blue, red and white striped flag.

4. Independence The nation's War of Independence culminated in Mexico attaining independence from Spain. The unified Army of the Three Guarantees used the flag featuring the red, green and white colors after this war. Some designs bearing similarity with the Mexican Flag included the naval tricolor flag consisting of an eagle with a crown over his head and a military flag that featured an eagle larger than the one on the national flag.

5. Third Official Flag The Second Mexican Empire brought about the third official flag. The red, green and white stripes were retained. This time, the white stripe contained the national arms. Four eagles with crowns on their heads were placed at the four corners of the flag. In 1867, this flag was given up and the second national flag was brought into use once again.

6. The Imaging of the Flag The Second Mexican Empire brought about the third official flag. The red, green and white stripes were retained. This time, the white stripe contained the national arms. Four eagles with crowns on their heads were placed at the four corners of the flag. In 1867, this flag was given up and the second national flag was brought into use once again.

7. The colors The coat of arms is an image of an eagle with a serpent held in its talon. The eagle is shown to have perched atop a prickly pear cactus, with the cactus grown on a rock raised from a lake. Today, the colors have their own meanings. Green stands for hope, white for purity and red stands for religion.

8. The Design of Several Flags Two variants of the Mexican flag allowed by law are, one that is used by, the President of Mexico and the secretaries of federal bodies use, and the other, which the State government and federal bodies use. In the first variant, the coat of arms is colored in gold and the stone; lake and talons of the eagle are silver. In the second design, even these objects on the flag are golden in color.

9. CONCLUSION Throughout history, the Mexican flag has undergone changes in the coat of arms. The three colors have been retained through all the versions of the flag design. Mexicans have always taken care of adding a Mexican touch to their flag. Each revision in the design of the Mexican flag was in a way an attempt; to each time make the flag, even more representative of Mexico. The present-day national Mexican flag is the fourth one in design, fluttering proudly as a classic insignia of Mexico.