germany flags

Many countries specifically detail their flag in their constitution or at some point in a piece of legislation, and often times changing the flag requires an act of congress if the country is democratic. Drastic changes often reflect a regime change or shift in national perspective, such as when Serbia decided to omit a star found on the Yugoslavian flag representing communism or when Germany changed their flag after the end of World War II.

The American flag, also one of the most recognizable flags in the world, was officially adopted in 1777. After the American Revolutionary War citizens began to fly the flag casually during times of peace, which not only increased its demand but also led to its adoption as a general representation of America. After, other countries soon adopted this relaxed stance of displaying their flags too, although this would eventually be used as a propaganda tool for countries trying to nationalize their entire population under a similar goal. From a vexillological standpoint, the American flag is also laden with symbolism. The stripes represent the original colonies while the stars represent the current states, and the colors were carefully chosen to indicate freedom, liberty, and the cost of these ideals.