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                                                 The Union Jack

    This is the popular name given to the flag of the Great Britain. Actually it is called the Union Flag and it is a mixture of several flags. It all began in 1606 when Scotland was joined to England and Wales. The Scottish flag, St. Andrew's Cross, blue with a white cross from corner to corner, was joined to the English Flag, St. George's Cross, with a red cross. The flag of St. George can still be seen on churches in England. Later, in 1801, when Ireland was joined to the union, the Irish Flag named St. Patrick's Cross was added, white with a red cross from corner to corner. In this may the English people got the Union Flag which is red, white and blue.

    King James  III (1566-1622) ordered that the Union Flag should be flown on the main mast of all British ships. So the flag was flown at the front of the bowsprit. The end of the bowsprit was called the Jack Star and so the flag  got the name of  Union Jack. A "jack", by the way, is an old word for the sailor. Nowadays the Union Jack is also on the flags of Australia and New Zealand.