Nama : Rien Kautsarin

NPM : 10608156

Kelas : 2sa03

1. Why the other name of flag union of UK is Union Jack?

THE HISTORY AND MEANING
OF THE UNION JACK OR UNION FLAG

The British Flag: a Symbol of Unity

The Union Jack is a transnational flag full of historical significance. It represents the union of different countries and the growth of a family of nations whose influence extends far beyond the British Isles. This far-reaching influence is still seen today in the incorporation of the Union Jack in other national flags such as that of Australia. The British flag is called the “Union Jack”, an expression that needs to be explained.

The Union Jack is a fine expression of unity as well as diversity. The British flag incorporates the national symbols of three distinct countries, England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. In fact its name “Union Jack” emphasises the very nature of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland as a union of nations. The flag is also known by another name, this too, emphasising the idea of union: the “Union flag”, perhaps a less common term but a little more precise. The countries comprising the British Isles are not inward-looking or isolated states with an insular mentality; together they constitute a powerful union that has spanned centuries. Recent devolution that gave Scotland its own Parliament and Wales its own Assembly has also emphasised the importance of individual national identities within the union without affecting the essential unity of Great Britain. On the contrary, it has strengthened it. Recognition of, and respect for national identities are an essential ingredients for effective union. The Union Jack symbolises all this: respect for individuality within a closely knit community.

The “Union Jack” or “Union Flag” is a composite design made up of three different national symbols:

The cross represented in each flag is named after the patron saint of each country: St. George, patron saint of England, St. Andrew, patron saint of Scotland and St. Patrick, patron saint of Ireland.

The image below renders the idea of the union of the three flags forming one unified, transnational Flag.

No mention has been made of the Welsh flag. The Welsh dragon was not incorporated into the Union Flag because Wales had already been united to England when the first version of the Union Flag was designed in 1606. It is, however, in common use:

THE HISTORY OF THE UNION JACK

The first step taken in the creation of the flag of Great Britain was on 12th April 1606. When King James VI of Scotland became king of England (King James I) it was decided that the union of the two realms under one king should be represented symbolically by a new flag. Originally It consisted in the red cross of England superimposed on the white cross of Scotland on the blue background of the Scottish flag as in this illustration:

Thus we have the first flag of the union called, in fact, the “Union Flag”.

What was meant to be a symbol of unity actually became a symbol of international controversy. The English resented the fact that the white background of their cross had disappeared and that the new flag had the blue Scottish background. On the other hand the Scottish resented the fact that the English red cross was superimposed on the Scottish white cross!! The old adage says you cannot please everyone but this first version of the Union Flag seemed to please no-one!!

Apparently there was an unofficial “Scottish version” that attempted to rectify the sense of injustice that the Scottish felt at this innovatory flag. A distinct reference was made to this version when the King visited Dumfries in 1618. Here is what it looked like:
The controversy was destined to last!! There is conflict in the best of families!!

However, the flag was usually restricted to use at sea until the two kingdoms of Scotland and England were united in 1707. It was most probably from this use at sea that it got the name “Jack” (”Union Jack“). It was usually flown at the bow end of the ship, from the jack staff.

An attempt was made to modify the flag under Oliver Cromwell. A harp was placed in the centre, representing Ireland. However, the original design was restored along with the restoration of the monarchy in 1660.

The flag continued to be used in its original form until Jan. 1, 1801. At that time, with the union of Ireland and Great Britain, it became necessary to represent Ireland in the Union Flag and so the cross of St. Patrick was include thus creating the flag as we now have it. When the southern part of Ireland gained its independence in 1921 and became the Irish Free State no alteration was made to the Union Jack.

The name “Union Jack” became official when it was approved in Parliament in 1908. It was stated that “the Union Jack should be regarded as the National flag”.

(http://www.know-britain.com/general/union_jack.html)

Another answers :

Because it is named after James 1 of Great Britain (Jacobus, Latin for James), who introduced the flag following his accession to the throne. www.number-10.gov.uk

Because it is named from the “Jack staff” of naval vessels from which the original Union Flag was flown.uk.encarta.msn.com

2.Why were the cross name saint George, Andrew and Patrick are those names of important  people or figures?

St. George’s Cross

The Cross of St. George was a cross pattée in plain gold or silver (later to be replaced with non-precious metals of similar colours), with a central disc bearing the image of St. George on horseback slaying the dragon. It was worn on the left chest with the ribbon of the Order of St. George, which was orange with three black stripes.

The Cross of St. George was abolished after the Russian Revolution, but was re-established on August 8, 2000 by the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin. Moreover, during the Soviet times there was an equivalent decoration known as the Order of Glory.

The Cross of St. George should not be confused with St. George’s Cross, the flag of England, or the George Cross, a British award primarily for civilian bravery.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross_of_St._George

St. Andrew’s Cross

It is believed that the apostle Andrew was crucified on a saltire (X-shaped) cross; hence the name St. Andrew’s Cross. He is said to have told his executioners that he was not worthy to be crucified on the same cross style as Jesus, and persuaded them to alter the shape. If this is true, it’s a remarkable example of stoicism displayed by a man, no doubt beaten and starved, yet retaining the mental energy to plead such a thing with his brutal executioners. Detailed records of his crucifixion only date back to the Middle Ages, and these records are influenced be the imagination of the medieval artists. But even if the origin is a myth, the cross shape reminds Christians that they should exercise humility.

Before Peter was crucified, he too requested that a cross different to Christ’s Latin Cross be used. Therefore we have another cross that Christians associate with humility; the upside-down Latin Cross, known as St. Peter’s Cross.

In Greek, the first letter for Christ (Chi) also happens to be ‘X’-shaped, as in the Chi Rho Cross. An alternative name for Christmas is ‘Xmas’, a valid abbreviation although rejected by some as being a commercial attempt to remove Christ from Christmas, by crossing Him out. To secularize the event even further, some might say “Happy Holidays”, but the word “holiday” originates from “holy day”. (Curiously, Xmas is often written with an apostrophe as X’mas in Japan. See Commercialisation of Christmas in Japan.)

Instead of simply saying that something is ‘X-shaped’ or ’saltire’, the term ‘St. Andrew’s Cross’ is used for several items that have absolutely nothing to do with St. Andrew or even religion. For example, there’s argiope kiyserlingi and the argiope mangal – a tiny, brightly striped spider found in the mangroves of Singapore. These are commonly known as ‘St. Andrew’s Spiders’ because they hold their eight legs in pairs, forming an X shape. Then there’s the hypericum hypericoides, a small shrub of the St. John’s-wort family. Its flowers form a cross with four yellow petals and is known as ‘St. Andrew’s Cross’. The St. Andrew’s Cross is seen on the American Confederate flag, showing the Scottish lineage of many Southerners. On this flag it is known as the Southern Cross. It is also seen on several national flags. For example the white cross on a blue background as the flag of Scotland, and a red cross on a white background as St. Patrick’s Cross of the Irish. Both of these crosses were superimposed on England’s red cross on a white background, St. George’s Cross, to give the United Kingdom’s Union Flag (’Union Jack’).

http://www.seiyaku.com/customs/crosses/andrew.html

St. Patrick’s Cross
The red saltire on a white ground probably comes from the Duke of Leinster’s coat of arms.

As an honour to senior Irish peers, the Most Illustrious Order of Saint Patrick was founded in 1783 by King George III. From that date, until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922, the official flag used to symbolise Ireland was a red saltire on white ground and known as St. Patrick’s cross. The design was the heraldic arms of the highest-ranking member of the Irish aristocracy and founding member of the Order, the Duke of Leinster.

The red saltire is also used for the flag of the American State of Alabama, on the old Spanish Cross flag of Burgundy (1506-1785) and on the current flag of Jersey (which also includes the arms of Jersey). St. Patrick has no particular connection with this small island to the south-west of Britain. The traditional belief is that Jersey, along with its neighbouring islands, was granted neutrality by Papal Bull during one of the dozen or so wars between England and France. Since Jersey was able to trade freely with both sides, they rotated the English St. George’s Cross to form a red saltire, thereby differentiating their ships from English ships.

The saltire is used on many other national flags. As a white cross on a blue ground, it is known as St. Andrew’s Cross and seen on the flag of Scotland. This was merged with the St. Patrick’s Cross and England’s St. George’s Cross, to make the United Kingdom’s Union Flag (’Union Jack’).

Whilst Patrick did much of his ministry in Ulster, he is a Catholic saint and therefore shunned by many Loyalists in Ulster. Rather than the St. Patrick’s Cross, they prefer the Orange Cross.

-Main source: New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia
-See also St. Brighid’s Cross
-Short History Channel video: http://www.historychannel.com/exhibits/stpatricksday/?page=video.

Conclusion :

Because to honor, respect  and remember for  their leader and king for their bravery,  knighthood and dedication for the country. http://www.flags-flags-flags.org.uk/english-flag.htm

3. why it was only the Northland Ireland join to the England?

Because a long time ago, Ireland was more or less forced to become a part of the United Kingdom. While it remain under British rule, England encouraged people from England and Scotland to move to Ireland to boost the number of people living there that were loyal to the crown. Most of these people were Protestant and most Native Irish people were still Catholic. The majority of these new people (Protestants) lived in the Northern part of the country. When Ireland won its independence, the northern Protestants feared being a part of an independent Ireland because they would then be in the minority and feared they would be mistreated. Because of this, they protested Ireland’s freedom and the solution that was decided upon by the English government was to allow the Northern portion of the country to remain part of the United Kingdom and grant freedom to the rest of the country.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100123164143AALEfpI

Other References :

http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/gb-hist.html#hist

http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/geography/unionjack.html

http://www.bookrags.com/wiki/History_of_Anglo-Saxon_England

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