Several different flags were used in canada before our current national flag. This flag became the official flag of canada on feb. This image or media file is available on the wikimedia commons as file. The national flag of canada is a red flag, twice as long as it is wide or 64 units in length and 32 units in width or depth, as shown in the accompanying diagram. Spanish explorations and landings occured on the west coast of canada in 1592 and 1774, however. This file does not meet csd f8, and should not be tagged as a commons duplicate. This twosided flag can be printed from your web browser or the adobe acrobat pdf reader and is provided free for your personal use. Canadian national flag acadian genealogy historical. For much of canadas postconfederation history, canada flew the british union jack as its national flag, along with the canadian red ensign as an unofficial canadian flag.
The maple leaf flag became canadas flag on 15 february 1965 before this, canada used the british red ensign with canadas coat of arms on it. This flag of canada can be printed from your web browser or the adobe acrobat pdf reader and is provided free for your personal use. The canadian flag is result of the contribution of many, extending over a century. This is because the white stripe in the middle called a pale in heraldry was not the usual narrow. It has an 11point red maple leaf canadas national symbol in a broad white center stripe, with a broad vertical red stripe at each end. New 2x3 national flag of canada canadian country flags. The establishment of the canadian federation in 1867 was not accompanied by the creation of a special flag for the country. Canadas common border with the united states to the south and northwest is the longest in the world.
Canada fought under the red ensign flag during the two world wars. Anley fly breeze 3x5 foot canada flag vivid color and uv fade resistant canvas header and double stitched canadian national flags polyester with brass grommets 3 x 5 ft. The clarity and striking design made it easily recognizable. The national flags of canada the provincial and territorial flags of. These highquality images may be used free of charge for noncommercial as well as commercial. Feb 15, 2010 for much of canadas postconfederation history, canada flew the british union jack as its national flag, along with the canadian red ensign as an unofficial canadian flag. The winning flag was selected for the following reasons. The canada flag vector files can also be reduced with a sharp result.
Our collection consists of vector files eps, ai, pdf, and svg, images jpg, png. This item new 2x3 national flag of canada canadian country flags. It is not a public holiday, although there has been discussion about. The process began in 1895 when heraldry enthusiast edward m. The national flag maple leaf takes precedence in all cases except during a royal visit.
Canadian history for dummies cheat sheet cheat sheet any place as eclectic and mixed up as canada will never be able to settle on a single unified, national history that will please everyone, but make no mistake. What americans attach to their backpackssuitcasespursesbags while in europe, especially france. Apr 26, 2015 free canada flag graphics, vectors, and printable pdf files. Vector files are designed so as to be enlarged in any format without loss of quality. During this period of questionable independence, several possibilities for the canadian flag were introduced. This canadian history for kids exclusive, looks at the birth of our great flag it was a debate that lasted almost two years but on february 15, 1965, the. The canadian national flag was adopted by the canadian parliament on october 22, 1964 and was proclaimed into law by her majesty queen elizabeth ii the queen of canada on february 15, 1965 the certification of parliaments decision was made on jan. Canada 150 years of history the story behind the flag inquinte. But when its dyed to a certain national specification, it is invested with a meaning and a split and becomes more than a frail quadrangle of cloth.
The new canadian flag was inaugurated on february 15, 1965, on parliament hill. Story starters are creative writing prompts to help kids develop their creative writing skills. An early contender around 1870 was called the canadian red ensign, and featured the union flag in the upper left corner of a red field dominated by a canadian shield, which depicted the quartered arms of ontario, quebec, nova scotia. Canadian flag education centre the history of the national. Canada has a rich heritage of historical flags which are the. Chadwick recommended to the government that canada should have its own national flag featuring a maple leaf.
February 15, 1965 canadas new red and white maple leaf flag is inaugurated in a ceremony on parliament hill. The history of flag day national flag day was declared in 1996, 31 years after the canadian flag was raised for the first time. In 1534, jacques cartier planted a cross in gaspe bearing the french royal coat of arms with the fleursdelis. After the first world war and again after the second world war, the government of canada discussed the importance of our country having its own flag. Its the maple leafs 50th anniversary as canadas national flag, and an apt time to remember the events surrounding its inauguration. Flag of canada image and meaning canadian flag country flags. In the general sense, flagpoles may be divided into three categories. Find canadian flag stock images in hd and millions of other royaltyfree stock photos, illustrations and vectors in the shutterstock collection. Flag of canada simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The department of canadian heritage lays out protocol guidelines for the display of flags, including an order of precedence. The great canadian flag debate or great flag debate was a national debate that took place in 1963 and 1964 when a new design for the national flag of canada was chosen although the flag debate had been going on for a long time prior, it officially began on june 15, 1964, when prime minister lester b.
Creative writing focuses on selfexpression and teaches kids the. George bist, a world war ii veteran, and precise coloration of the flag defined by dr. The red and white used in the national flag of canada were proclaimed the official colors of canada in 1921 by king george v. United states flag store is the leading online vendor of canadian flags also known as the flag of canada. In 1795 the number of stars and stripes were both increased to 15, since kentucky and vermont had been added to the union. The canadian flag debate had a very interesting background and the canadians involvement towards the flag debate was just phenomenal. Canada actually didnt have an official flag until 1964. Canadian flags cost less and last longer from us flag store, the largest canadian flag vendor in the us. Prior knowledge of canadian history is not necessary to benefit from the reading. Free canada flag graphics, vectors, and printable pdf files. Origin of canadas flag canada fought under the red ensign flag during the two world wars. Jour du drapeau national du canada, commonly shortened to flag day, is observed annually on february 15 to commemorate the inauguration of the flag of canada on that date in 1965.
The various unofficial red and blue ensigns shown on this page were unofficial only in so far as they were not recognized by the british admiralty, which regulated the flags used to identify commonwealth ships at sea. A major change in symbols took place in 1921, when canada was granted a distinctive new coat of arms. The link below to a pdf file will provide a verified true narrative of the steps in history that brought the canadian flag to fruition. Find highquality canadian flag stock photos and editorial news pictures from getty images. Now that all provinces had been granted arms, it became possible to create a new version of the unofficial flag. The maple leaf flag became canadas flag on 15 february 1965. The final outcome was a 163 78 vote in favour of the national flag of canada being accepted as the canadian maple leaf flag on december 15th 1964. Flag experts say that the red ensign was defaced by the coat of arms. The uploader or another editor requests that a local copy of this file be kept. It received 2,409 designs from the public and was addressed by the director of the historical section of the canadian army, fortescue.
The first flag known to have flown in canada was the st georges cross carried by john cabot when he reached newfoundland in 1497. And so, to discard one flag and substitute another would seem an impossible defiance of the laws of human nature and political necessity. The great canadian flag debate or great flag debate was a national debate that took place in 1963 and 1964 when a new design for the national flag of canada was chosen. Flag experts say that the red ensign was defaced by the coat of arms flag and heraldry experts also call the design of the flag a canadian pale. Flag and heraldry experts also call the design of the flag a canadian pale. Get your canada flag in a jpg, png, gif or psd file. The flag has two vertical strips of red, which are each about one fourth the flag and are on the left and right sides. The canadian parliament debated the flag issue for 33 days. Thousands of new, highquality pictures added every day. For much of its postconfederation history, canada used both the royal union flag union jack and the canadian red ensign as its national flag. The flag is the symbol of the nations unity, for it, beyond any doubt, represents all the citizens of canada without distinction of race. Oct 28, 2015 the first flag known to have flown in canada was the st georges cross carried by john cabot when he reached newfoundland in 1497. Pearson proposed his plans for a new flag in the house of commons. It was a debate that lasted almost two years but on february 15, 1965, the maple leaf flag became the national flag of canada.
The day is marked by flying the flag, occasional public ceremonies, and educational programs in schools. Unofficial flag, 19071924 image by clay moss, 26 june 2014 this flag was presented both without and with the adornments that were found on the great seal. The canadian flag history template example for brochure dd. The maple leaf, or lunifolie the oneleafed, has only relatively recently become a national symbol for canada, but it is easily recognized around the. The maple leaf had already become a popular emblem of canadian national identity at home and abroad. Commonly called the canadian flag or the maple leaf flag, the national flag of. You may order posters free of charge, 24 inches by 32 inches in size. Before this, canada used the british red ensign with canadas coat of arms on it. While americans just cant get enough of their stars and stripes, we canadians are undeniably proud of our national flag. Green grove products canada 2 x 3 ft 210d nylon premium outdoor embroidered canadian flag. Oct 19, 2019 the red and white used in the national flag of canada were proclaimed the official colors of canada in 1921 by king george v. A simple explanation of the democratic and parliamentary process would be helpful. Additional information on the origin of the canadian flag. The flags of british north america used in colonial canada showcased ties to the british empire.
The following poster displays a selection of flags of the french regime 1534 1760 and regiments pdf format, 827 kb. Used to disguise identity or in hopes that any sort of harassment. This collage of the 11point maple leaf is probably the first depiction of the canadian flag as we know it today. This is because the white stripe in the middle called a. The flag is the symbol of the nations unity, for it, beyond any doubt, represents the citizens of canada without distinction of race. It is the worlds second largest country by total area. In the midnineteenth century, a newstate, called the canadian dominion of the british empire and, therefore, created a new national flag. While the license of this file may be compliant with the wikimedia commons, an editor has requested that the local copy be kept too. Canadas common border with the united states to the south and northwest. This is a very simplified and condensed overview of a part in canadian history which took almost 100 years to complete. Medal of 1899, a british decoration given to those who defended canada in 19thcentury and the flags proportions are two by length and one by width. Speaker for the senate, maurice bourget, spoke the following. The queens personal standard is supreme in the order of.
Canada has 10 provinces, and three northern territories. The canadian red ensign, which consisted of the canadian coat of arms with the union jack in the upper left corner, was first adopted during the second term of sir john a. Our flag a symbol of canada level 1 the purpose of is to provide wellstructured and interest. Here are some suggestions for celebrating canadas flag.
Canadian flag colors, history and symbolism of the national flag of canada. Jul 04, 2016 the flag with a circle of thirteen stars is known as the betsy ross flag, though there is no historical evidence behind the story of ross sewing the first american flag. This canadian history for kids exclusive, looks at the birth of our great flag. Download premium images you cant get anywhere else. Attempts to adopt a specific design repeatedly failed as consensus could not be reached. The imperial union jack and other british flags were considered sufficient, although a coat of arms in the form of a heraldic shield was granted. Alexandermichael hadjilyra, april 2011 1 symbols of canada.
This act of parliament was beyond doubt, one of the. Although the maple leaf did not have official status as an emblem of canada until 1965, it had historically been used as a canadian symbol and was employed in 1860 in decorations for the visit of the prince of wales to canada. Posted in english, news proper credit finally given to the many contributors image. A symbol is a kind of picture that tells us something without using words. Nearly 400 years passed before canada officially adopted the canadian flag or maple leaf flag lunifolie.
A little known fact when considering canadas flag history is that spain claimed the west coast of north america by virtue of the treaty of tordesillas 1494. Find canada flag stock images in hd and millions of other royaltyfree stock photos, illustrations and vectors in the shutterstock collection. No matter what youre looking for or where you are in the world, our global marketplace of sellers can help you find unique and affordable options. Interestingly, the debate around the design of the new canadian flag was quite. Historical flags and the national flag of canada early canadian flags canadas history is. For help with downloading a wikipedia page as a pdf, see help. The national flag canadian peacekeeping veterans association. Canadian flag story starters canada day this canadian flag story starter is a creative writing prompt that kids can do for canada day. Its hard to imagine the maple leafs adoption as a force that divided the nation, but thats the truth. Until then, the flag that mostly represented our country was the canadian red ensign a red background flag with the british union jack in the corner and a heraldry shield featuring 3 red maple leaves, and flags symbols of the founding provinces.
The flag of canada flag has only two colors red and white, the official colors appointed to canada by king george v in 1921. The great flag debate raged on for months in the house of commons. Since the first days of the european presence on canadian soil, the flags pdf download, 1. The canadian government and population used them on land as a matter of course. In its centre is a white square the width of the flag, with a single red maple leaf in the centre. Download your free canadian flag here vector files. Canada celebrates their national flag day on february 15 each yearand this year is particularly special.
The flag is the symbol of the nations unity, for it, beyond any doubt, represents all the citizens of canada without distinction of race, language, belief or opinion. A selection of canadian military flags in the 20th century pdf format, 5. The process of choosing the design, was a long one that stirred national debate. These highquality images may be used free of charge for noncommercial as well as commercial purposes. The flag of canada often referred to as the canadian flag, or unofficially as the maple leaf and.
This infographic gives a history of the famous national flag of canada. Flag of canada this is a wikipedia book, a collection of wikipedia articles that can be easily saved, imported by an external electronic rendering service, and ordered as a printed book. Since then, its been celebrated every year on february 15. Etsy is the home to thousands of handmade, vintage, and oneofakind products and gifts related to your search. One of the first attempts to change that was during world war ii in 1946, but failed. First it was the flag, previously used as a governor general of the british flag was depicted in the middle panel. First it was the flag, previously used as a governor general of the british flag was depicted in the middle panel, which was divided into four sections. The canadian flag debate was a major controversy to canada because many thought it was about time for canada to have their own flag years after gaining their independence from britain.