This Week In Vexillology #51

Last week, we checked out the oldest tricolor in the world in The Netherlands and now we're heading back down to South America and La Estrella Solitaria, the flag of Chile!

If you think this flag looks a lot like the flag of Texas, well, you'd be right but it's a pure coincidence as the flag of Chile was adopted for National and Civil usage on October 18th, 1817, twenty eight years before Texas adopted their flag in 1839. The white in the flag represents the snow of the Andes, the red is the blood shed for freedom and the blue the clear Andean skies and the Pacific Ocean.  The star is said to represent a guide to progress and honor.

While the overall design of the flag has remained more or less the same since 1818, there has been an evolution from the original configuration over time.   (I would go over each of them with pictures and visual aids, but Wikipedia does a better job charting the evolution from pre-independence all the way up to present day.  So go here if you want to get your knowledge on, kids.)

What I will give a visual aid for (not to mention a hefty shout out) is this guy:

Who is this guy?  Well, thanks to this book- a book which I think should be required reading for every high school student in America because it's frankly pathetic how little we know about the history of neighbors both north and south- anyway, that aside, this guy is one of Chile's founding fathers:  Bernardo O'Higgins.

First of all, let the awesomeness of that name sink in.  The guy was of Spanish and Irish ancestry a combination that surprised me at first but didn't seem to matter all that much as eventually he became the 2nd Supreme Director of Chile and was no slouch on the battlefield-  breaking out at the Battle of Rancagua with the cry of "Those who can ride, ride!"  And helping pro-independence forces at the Battles of Las Tres Acequias and the Battle of Chacabuco.

Undoubtedly, this knowledge will come in handy during some obscure game of trivia because that's how we roll here in the United States but south of the border, this guy is a serious historical figure.  So respect!  And now you know and as GI Joe once said, knowing is half the battle.

So give it up for Chile!  And remember, until next time keep your flags flying- FREAK or otherwise!