Which Country Flag Looks Like the Texas Flag?
The Chilean flag also referred to as the "La-Estrella Solitaria", resembles the flag of Texas, also known as the Lone-Star flag. The two flags have a five-pointed star and the same colors (red, white and blue). The Lone-Star flag has a blue field that covers the left third of the flag with the lone star at the center while the Chilean flag has a blue square with a star in the middle. The red and white fields on the Texan flag are of equal size while the red stripe is longer than the white stripe in the Chilean flag. Both flags have a rectangular shape with a length to width ratio of 3:2. Texas adopted its flag on January 25, 1839, while the Chilean flag was officially adopted on October 18, 1817.
Colors and Symbolism
Even though the two flags have the same colors and five-pointed stars, the symbols have different meanings to Chile and Texas. The star on the Chilean flag represents a guide to honor and progress while the one of the Texan flag stands for the unity of Texas as one for the country, state, and God. The blue on the Chilean flag represents the Pacific Ocean and the sky while the one on the Lone Star flag stands for loyalty. The red on the Texan flag stands for bravery while the red stripe on the Chilean flag represents the blood spilled for the country to gain its independence. The white on the Chilean flag represents the white snow on the Andes while the one the Texan flag stands for purity.
History of the Flags of Chile
The first flags to be used in the region were the ones used by the native people in the Arauco War with the most popular one being the one used by Talcohuano chief and warrior of Mapuche during the nineteenth century. The flag had red, white, and blue emblems. The Mapuche troops used two flags in the eighteenth century with the most popular one being the blue one with a five-pointing star in the middle. The first official flag of Chile was embroidered by Javiera Carrera and raised on July 4, 1812, during a dinner with the American consul Poinsett to commemorate the anniversary of the independence of the US. The flag, which was referred to as Patria Vieja, had three stripes of yellow, white, and blue.
The victory at the Chacabuco War on May 26, 1817, symbolized a new beginning for the country and Chile adopted a new flag which was referred to as the Bandera-de-la-Transicion (transition flag). The transition flag is recognized as the first Chilean national flag. The Transition flag had three-equal fields: red, white, and blue. The colors were based on the colors of the Mapuche troop’s insignia. The Transition flag didn’t get enough recognition since it resembled the French flag and the flag of the Netherlands. Therefore it disappeared after five months. The design of the current and third flag of Chile is attributed to Jose Ignacio, the minister of war of Bernado O’Higgins. Arcos Antoni designed the flag, but many historians claim that it was drawn by Gregorio Varela.
