Flag of Mexico

Quick Facts: Who was Flag of Mexico?

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Flag of Mexico

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Mexico's national flag features vertical green, white, and red stripes with the Aztec-inspired coat of arms.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The national flag of Mexico (Spanish: bandera nacional de México) is a vertical tricolor of green, white, and red with the national coat of arms charged in the center of the white stripe. While the meaning of the colors has changed over time, these three colors were adopted by Mexico following independence from Spain during the country's War of Independence, and subsequent First Mexican Empire. Red, white, and green are the colors of the national army in Mexico. The central emblem is the Mexican coat of arms, based on the Aztec symbol for Tenochtitlan (now Mexico City), the center of the Aztec Empire. It recalls the legend of a golden eagle sitting on a nopal cactus while devouring a serpent that signaled to the Aztecs where to found their city, Tenochtitlan.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Before the adoption of the first national flag, various flags were used during the War of Independence from Spain. Though it was never adopted as an official flag, many historians consider the first Mexican flag to be the Standard of the Virgin of Guadalupe, which was carried by Miguel Hidalgo after the Grito de Dolores on 16 September 1810. The Standard became the initial symbol of the rebel army during the Mexican War of Independence. Various other Standards were used during the war. José María Morelos used a flag with an image of the Virgin to which was added a blue and white insignia with a crowned eagle on a cactus over a three-arched bridge and the letters V.V.M. (Viva la Virgen María – "long live the Virgin Mary").

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The Revolutionary Army also used a flag featuring the colours white, blue and red in vertical stripes. The first use of the modern colours—green, white and red—was in the flag of the unified Army of the Three Guarantees (pictured left) after independence from Spain was won. While similar to the national flag that is used today, the eagle in these arms is not holding a serpent in his talons and a crown has been affixed to the head of the eagle to signify the Empire. Variants of this flag that appeared in this period also included a naval flag that had the tricolour pattern, but it only contained the eagle with the crown above its head. The military also used a similar square flag, but the eagle was larger than the one on the national flag.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1810: 1810 Milestone — Though it was never adopted as an official flag, many historians consider the first Mexican flag to be the Standard of the Virgin of Guadalupe, which was carried by Miguel Hidalgo after the Grito de Dolores on 16 September 1810.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Flag of Mexico

True or False: “The initial symbol used during Mexico's War of Independence was the Standard of the Virgin of Guadalupe.”

Answer (TRUE ⭕): Historians widely consider the Standard carried by Miguel Hidalgo after the Grito de Dolores on September 16, 1810, to be the first significant flag symbol.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Alexis Soyer — Historical peer (Born in 1810) (1810): Pioneering French chef, writer, and inventor celebrated for his work in Victorian England.
• Alfred de Musset — Historical peer (Born in 1810) (1810): French dramatist, poet, and novelist known for 'Confession of a Child of the Century'
• Flag of Pakistan — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: The national flag of Pakistan, featuring a green field with a white crescent and star.
• Flag of Russia — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: The tricolor flag of Russia, featuring white, blue, and red horizontal bands.
• Flag of South Africa — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: The national flag of South Africa, adopted in 1994, symbolizing unity and diverse history.
• Flag of the United States — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: The national flag of the USA, symbolizing its history and union through stars and stripes.

Frequently Asked Questions about Flag of Mexico