by Shawna Blake

Created on: June 03, 2008

Since late December in 1861, a red flag boasting a blue x enamored with thirteen stars has been raised on battlefields across the country. Of course, that was during the Civil war, in which the Northern states and the southern states were vying for power. There were several Confederate flags, one of which was similar to the famous flag that Betsy Ross is known for creating. The confederate 'battle' flag truly lives up to it's name, even today. Originally, the flags were devised to support the southern states that succeeded from the union prior to the war between the states. The first flag that was voted to represent the seven confederate states resembled closely the American flag, and was to pay homage to the loyalty of America, though the states were against abolishing slavery. This flag was made up of two red and one white bar, with seven stars within a circle in place of the same stars that 'Old Glory' does don. It was changed, eventually, as upon the battlefield during the battle of Bull Run, it was found to fail in differentiating the confederate soldiers from the union soldiers. The result was the Confederate battle flag that raises controversies even 140 plus years later.

When the Civil war broke out, Confederate General P.G.T. Beauregard was insistent that the flag be changed to look completely opposite of the American flag, so as to separate the armies. With the flag looking different from the enemies' flag, one soldier would know or be able to tell which camp a soldier belonged to. The whole point of a war, one would think. Thus the confederate flag- in any shape or style- came to be synonymous with racism, because it was made to support the states that supported slavery. The states where the flag was waved proudly were those that believed that the government should not control it's states. These states included; Tennessee, Georgia, Texas, Florida, Mississippi, Virginia, Missouri, North and South Carolina, Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, and Kentucky (in no particular order). Since these states supported slavery, or more intimately slavery of African American's, the flag is associated as such.

Many Americans believe that when a confederate flag is waved, it is a symbolic support for racism against African American people. To be more specific, this is not always the case. Many soldiers, young men, and women, even children, of both black and white died beneath the flag of the confederacy, and for that they should be heralded as heroes. The flag that was

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