The Union Jack

The Union Jack

Design

The Union Jack/Union Flag is the nickname of the national flag of the United Kingdom and symbolizes the union of the Kingdom of England (including Wales), Scotland and Ireland under one Sovereign. Today's deseign combines the three heraldic crosses (leaving out the Welsh dargon since the Principality of Wales had already been part of England before 1606):

England, Cross of St. George:<http://www.flaginstitute.org/pdfs/Flying_Flags_in_the_United_Kingdom.pdf>

The cross of St. Greorge(patron saint of England) is a red cross on white ground ;

The cross of St. Andrews(patron saint of Scotland)is a diagonal white cross on blue ground;

Scotland, Cross of Andfrew: <http://www.flaginstitute.org/pdfs/Flying_Flags_in_the_United_Kingdom.pdf>

The cross of St. Patricks (patron of Ireland) is a diagonal red cross on white ground (Fig.4).

Ireland, Corss of St. Patrick: <http://www.flaginstitute.org/pdfs/Flying_Flags_in_the_United_Kingdom.pdf>

However the design of the first Union Flag looked quite different as the reconstrucions show [1].

Reconstructions of the First Union Flag, 1606: <http://www.flaginstitute.org/pdfs/Flying_Flags_in_the_United_Kingdom.pdf>