In recent days, during the American Civil War (1861-1865), the flag became identified with the Confederate side, which continued to fly on some official buildings in the state South Carolina, has brought the debate in the US into focus because of its racist connotations. But beyond the controversy, there’s the misconception that “the southern cross” It is, like those of many North American states with Hispanic heritage, inspired by the Cross of San Andrés used by the Spanish Empire. Another common mistake is assuming that the famous “rebel” flag had official status during the war.
The first official flag of the Confederation, dubbed the “Stars and Stripes”, was inspired by the coats of arms of the Archduchy of Austria, which later became the current Austrian national flag, and was designed by Prussian artist Nicola Marschall in Marion, Alabama. However, the close resemblance of this flag to the one used by the Union, the North Side, made it impossible – even with subsequent modifications – to use it in combat. The troops had great trouble telling who was the enemy and who was the friend.
To resolve the confusion of the “Stars and Stripes” flag with that of the Union, General of the Army of Virginia PGT BeauregardAmong other things, he adopted the battle banner with the famous diagonal cross to lead his troops. The Confederate ‘Navy Jack’, also called the ‘Southern Cross’, was the progenitor of this flag, except that it used a paler blue. The design was the original work of the South Carolina congressman William Porcher Miles – very likely inspired by the Union Jack flag– with the intention of turning it into a national flag, but it was rejected by the Confederate government because it looked too much like crossed brackets. The number of its white stars evolved as the conflict progressed, eventually totaling 13 representing the 13 states of the Confederate States of America.
The “Southern Cross” was used from November 1861 until the final defeat in battle. After the war, it became the most universally recognized symbol of the southern United States, where known to call it the “rebel” flag, and is, among other things, an icon of the country music and rockabilly movements with African-American roots who consider it no less than a racist or xenophobic symbol. Officially, the southern flag is still present on the flags of Georgia and Mississippi, and flies in addition Capital of Columbia CitySouth Carolina, since 1961, honoring those who fell in this war.
The true Spanish heritage
The belief that this cross, which closely resembles the St. Andrew’s Cross, is inspired by the flag of the Spanish Empire stems from the deep Hispanic heritage that is still present in the symbolism of the United States, particularly in the southern part of the country. Spanish conquistadors They were the first Europeans to travel most of what is now the United States’ territory. Thus, Spanish conquistador Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca was the first European to set foot on Texas territory on November 6, 1528. The Texas Shield, the containing the six flags of the nations that exercised their sovereignty over this area, reserves an important space for Spain. In particular, the Spanish flag is represented by the current Rojigualda with the Coat of Arms of Castilla y León inside.
The current reverse of the Texas Shield, which contains the six flags of the nations that exercised sovereignty over this area, reserves an important spot for Spain
In addition to the shield, Texas continues to preserve its Hispanic heritage in the Spanish names of hundreds of cities, counties, and geographic areas within its territory. Forty-two of the 254 counties have Spanish names or Anglicized derivatives such as “Galvesto”. The same happens with the names of some geographic features such as ‘Estacado Plain’, ‘Guadalupe Mountains’ and ‘Padre Island’ serving as a reminder of the Spanish explorers and conquistadors who passed through Texas long before the English settled the Atlantic coast from North America.
When the present-day states of Alabama and Florida created their official flags in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, they wanted to recognize their Hispanic past through the red diagonal cross, which some mistakenly identify with the Southern Cross, but it was from Spanish Rich in uses the Habsburg period. Nothing to do with the flag that William Porcher Miles designed with the United Kingdom in mind, which also bears a St. Andrew’s cross, but in his case in reference to the flags of Scotland and Ireland.
