Preview

The Rebel Flag: Hate or Heritage

Powerful Essays
Open Document
Open Document
2311 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
The Rebel Flag: Hate or Heritage
The Rebel Flag: Hate or Heritage For many years now, the people who reside in the southern part of the United States have been in the heat of a major debate. This great argument is about whether or not the Confederate flag should be allowed to fly in public areas. Many people argue the rebel flag is a symbol of bigotry and racism in the United States. Others argue that the flag is a symbol of Southern pride and a sign of where we come from. The flags meaning is rooted deep in the history of our country. The rebel flag is a symbol of Southern heritage and is in no way, shape, or form a symbol of racism and hatred. When the Confederate flag first came in to existence, it was used as a symbol of the thirteen states that broke away from the United States. The first flag of the Confederacy was flown on March 5, 1861. The designer of the flag was not even a southerner; it was designed by a Prussian artist named Nichola Marschall. This was the same man who designed the uniforms for the Confederate army. The first place that it was flown was the capital of the Confederacy, Montgomery, Alabama. The flag consists of a blue x, thirteen stars, and a red background. The stars symbolize the thirteen states that broke away. The x represents the division between the northern and southern states. The colors on the flag, which are the same on the American flag, are used to represent the pride that the Southerners had to be from the South. The flag was designed to represent a certain area of the world. It has nothing to do with racism or slavery. Even to this day the Confederate flag is used all throughout the South. Some Southern state flags use the Confederate flag as a base for their flags; some even have a Confederate flag in the design. The state flag of Mississippi has Confederate flag in its design. The top right corner of the flag, where the stars would be on the American flag, there is the symbol of the Confederacy. Until the year 2001, the flag that represents the


Cited: "Confederate Flag History." Civil War. Web. 28 Apr. 2011. <http://www.civilwar.com/resources/313-flags/150182-confederate-flag-history.html>. NORTH CAROLINA DIVISION OF SONS OF CONFEDERATE VETERANS, Petitioner v. JANICE FAULKNER, COMMISSIONER OF MOTOR VEHICLES, Respondent. North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts. 15 Sept. 1998. North Carolina Court of Appeals, 29 Dec. 1998. Web. 25 Apr. 2011. <http://www.aoc.state.nc.us/www/public/coa/opinions/1998/971563-1.htm>. Pressberg, Jason. "Historic Meaning of the Confederate Flag Still Strong." The Pendulum. Elon University. Web. 27 April 2011. <http://www.elon.edu/e- web/pendulum/issues/2005/04_07/opinions/flag.xhtml>. Sarfaty, Galit. "A Forgotten Past." Welcome to Digitas! Harvard University. Web. 27 Apr. 2011. <http://www.digitas.harvard.edu/~perspy/old/issues/1997/mar/past.html>.
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Why Was Lincoln Responsible For The Unification Of The Ottoman Empire
    • 706 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Why Was Lincoln Responsible For The Unification Of The Ottoman Empire

    Several southern states formed the Confederate States of America as a rival nation in response of the attempt to set slaves free, which led to the American Civil War between the North and South. After years of turmoil, the North eventually defeated the South when the Confederate forces surrendered on April 9, 1865. This war was a period of unrest and division in America, but Abraham Lincoln was able to lead the country back into unity with his…

    • 706 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Ap World History Dbq Research Paper
    • 415 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Ap World History Dbq Research Paper

    During the late 19th century, the United States was divided into a informal country known as the Confederate States of America which consisted of seven secessionist slave holding states. Throughout this time period slavery played a prominent role in the Confederacy due to a great reliance of labor on the plantations in the South and it displayed a considerable amount of racism. Eventually, disputes between the Union and the Confederacy over slavery and other problems led to the Civil War. After a few years of ferocious combat between the two sides the Confederacy lost the war, which led to the construction of statues and monuments for those who were associated with the Confederacy during the Civil War. Recently, these monuments have served…

    • 415 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Pros Of The Confederate Flag
    • 315 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Pros Of The Confederate Flag

    Even though the Confederate flag was originally made for war, the true meaning of it is no longer there. It has been used to symbolize "white power" and other racist statements. I am not saying that everyone who flys a confederate flag is racist, but in many cases they are perceived this way and bring out that message using the flag. This country is based on the principle that all men are created equal,…

    • 315 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Confederate Flag Research Paper
    • 940 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Confederate Flag Research Paper

    The confederate flag originally stood for southern pride, but most people argued it stood for racism, slavery, and hatred. The negative connotation of the flag did not come until after the Confederacy adopted the flag in 1863. The leaders of the Confederate Army in Virginia wanted a distinctive flag, so they could distinguish themselves from the United States. There were three versions of the confederate flag. The first flag was greatly disliked because of its strong resemblance to the United States flag. The second flag incorporated the battle flag for Virginia and did not last because of aesthetic reasons. The third flag also resembled the battle flag for Virginia, with an all white background and a red vertical stripe, resulting in the third flag not lasting very…

    • 940 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Star Spangled Banner Patriotism
    • 626 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Star Spangled Banner Patriotism

    Patriotism reflects the affection and reverence one has for the nation they were born in and lived their whole life. Devotion to country can be shown through many different ways of which one is the recitation of the nation’s national anthem. The people of the United States of America display their loyalty to their nation by reciting “The Star Spangled Banner.” Over the last seventy-nine years many singers have sung the U.S national anthem, but there are four renditions that are widely recognized. Each version of the anthem sung by different artists over time mirrors different passions, but always ends up showing the pride and loyalty the artists feel for their nation, The United States of America.…

    • 626 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Confederate Flag Controversy
    • 60 Words
    • 1 Page

    Confederate Flag Controversy

    Finally. It's time everyone in the United States understand the larger implications of when we have a significant American population celebrate a racist symbol and history. By waving the Confederate Flag proudly, by allowing Confederate history to be cemented through statues and buildings, essentially we are all implicating what the Confederacy did and the principles they stood for, were…

    • 60 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Alabama Confederate Flag
    • 837 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Alabama Confederate Flag

    Opponents include African-American constituents and advocate groups who view the flag as a socially disuniting symbol, which represent the portion of the Confederate history that included the practice of slavery. Proponents include party conservatives with a high voting record who view the flag as a part of historical struggle that included the deaths of many ancestors. Other third party stakeholders include the state’s many businesses and economic leaders who feel that commerce and tourism suffer from a stereotypical image of the southern…

    • 837 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The American Flag In Ralph Ellison's Battle Royal
    • 628 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The American Flag In Ralph Ellison's Battle Royal

    In the story "Battle Royal" by Ralph Ellison, he uses a white, naked, exotic dancer as a big symbol in the story. Tattooed on the girl that the narrator is directing his attention to is an American Flag. The symbol of the American flag on the naked blonde girl relates to the many themes of the story such as the struggle for equality. To understand how the American flag plays its role in the story you have to look at what it represents. First, the public symbol meanings of the American flag being the American dream, freedom, independence, and equality. To the main character, the narrator, those meanings are important to him. In the story the exotic dancer was what the American flag represented.…

    • 628 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Georgia Flag Persuasive Essay
    • 533 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Georgia Flag Persuasive Essay

    Many people are not taught to recognize the confederate battle flag in ambiguous ways such as structure. Instead, we are taught to recognized the stars and bars. The flag that was last decided by the confederacy was the same structure as the flag now. People may ask “why is this a problem if we’ve been doing this before?” well, the problem is the 3rd state flag didn’t offend anyone or tarnish our wonderful state, but we Georgians went and changed the flag back to what we believe is displaying pride for our history. This flag is actually displaying again ignorance and…

    • 533 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Informative Speech On Confederate Flag
    • 362 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Informative Speech On Confederate Flag

    The Confederate flag is more than just a simple flag used to represent the people. Behind the Confederate flag, lays a story to be told. The flag is a symbol of history not hatred. Many men and women served and died under the Confederate flag to keep their independence.…

    • 362 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Symbolism Of Bumper Stickers In America
    • 566 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The Symbolism Of Bumper Stickers In America

    As Americans we have the freedom to express what we think and feel. Even so, there is one kind of symbolism that I have a tough time tolerating and that is the confederate flag. This symbol, usually stuck to the back of some guy's old beat up truck, tells me…

    • 566 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Argumentative Essay: Should The Confederate Be Banned?
    • 785 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Argumentative Essay: Should The Confederate Be Banned?

    The Confederate flag is a symbol of the Confederacy, which was not what most people thought it was. Most think the Confederate States seceded because they wanted to keep slaves, but that was not entirely the case.…

    • 785 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The Importance Of Wearing The Rebel Flag
    • 116 Words
    • 1 Page

    The Importance Of Wearing The Rebel Flag

    I come from a small high school in WV where rebel flags and Dixie outfitter t-shirts were seen daily . I along with many of my friends were some of the kids that wore these shirts almost everyday to school . I along with all of my friends have wentabove and beyond YOUR expectations of these " Backwoods ignorant morons " .Many of us graduated college or started working high paying jobs straight out of school. So before you go shit talking kids that wear or fly the rebel flag please look aroundand realize that just because we wear the shirts and fly the flags we are not uneducated hillbilly like you label us as…

    • 116 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    North or South? Civil War.
    • 1090 Words
    • 5 Pages

    North or South? Civil War.

    “At any time, the South can raise, equip, and maintain in the field, a larger army than any Power of the earth can send against her, and an army of soldiers men brought up on horseback, with guns in their hands.” (from Senator James Henry Hammond's “Cotton is King,” Document Library, March 4, 1858) The Confederates have their advantages and weaknesses in their economy, diplomacy, and military and so do the Union. However, the Confederacy stood above the Union with their advantages of the southern states. They were determined to protect their laws to maintain the efficiency of their country after secession from the Union. The Confederacy was better equipped and more prepared to win the Civil War.…

    • 1090 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Racism Flag And The Civil Rights Movement
    • 229 Words
    • 1 Page

    The Racism Flag And The Civil Rights Movement

    In addition, the notorious flag has remained a racist symbol. Although decades have passed since the Civil Rights movement, the use of the flag in opposition can be paralleled to the current issues of today, especially in regards to African-Americans. The flag, which has historically served as a token of opposition to movements and government acts that promoted racial equality among African-Americans and whites, has been used by racist and white supremacist groups among the likes of the Ku Klux Klan and Dixiecrats to oppress advocates of equality (Lowery 1). In regards to white supremacy, the flag has always remained a symbol of entitlement and superiority against minorities. There are still Southern pride rallies across the South that promotes…

    • 229 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
    Read More

Related Topics