The Beautiful Meme - Research Document

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Joel Burden

Burden&Franc

The Beautiful Meme The Union Flag

Research


The Flag

Joel Burden

Burden&Franc

Background

St. George’s Cross

+ St. Andrews Cross

England

The Welsh Dragon Wales

Scotland

=

+ St. Patrick’s Cross N. Ireland

No mention has been made of the Welsh flag. The Welsh dragon was not incorporated into the Union Flag because Wales had already been united to England when the first version of the Union Flag was designed in 1606.

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The Flag

Joel Burden

Burden&Franc

Background

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When the ‘Union Jack’ was first introduced in 1606, it was known simply as ‘the British flag’ or ‘the flag of Britain’, and was ordered to be flown at the main masthead of all ships, warships and merchant ships, of both England and Scotland.

The first use of the name ‘Union’ appears in 1625. There are various theories as how it became known as the ‘Union Jack’, but most of the evidence points to the name being derived from the use of the word ‘jack’ as a diminutive. This word was in use before 1600 to describe a small flag flown from the small mast mounted on the bowsprit, and by 1627 it appears that a small version of the Union flag was commonly flown in this position. For some years it was called just ‘the Jack’, or ‘Jack flag’, or ‘the King’s Jack’, but by 1674, while formally referred to as ‘His Majesty’s Jack’, it was commonly called the Union Jack, and this was officially acknowledged.

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The Flag

Joel Burden

Burden&Franc

Colour

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The Flag

Joel Burden

Burden&Franc

Contemporary Contexts

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Clothing

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Large scale Moving on from warships, in the modern era the flag is used on pretty much everything in a variety of shapes and sizes

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The Flag

Joel Burden

Burden&Franc

Politics & Philosophy

+ Loyalist

+ Individuality

+ Geopolitical

+ Patriot

+ Pacifist

+ Anarchist

n. One who loves, supports, and defends one’s country.

+ Nationalist

person who advocates the abolition of government and a social system based on voluntary cooperation

+ Citizenship

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+ Cosmopolitan

Basic perception as being a citizen of the United Kingdom already tells me that this is an issue that can be seen from very different stances. Nationalist or Anarchist? For the length of this brief it would not be viable to get too involved with this element but it still needs to be taken into

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consideration.

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The Flag

Joel Burden

Burden&Franc

Pre-empt the Negative

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Recently in the our history we have seen the increase in foreign citizens and the rise of ‘fascist’ parties such as the BNP who use the Union Jack as the banner to stand behind. Most certainly a devolution of what the

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fllag can represent.

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Joel Burden

Burden&Franc

What does it mean? To who? And why?

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The People +

Joel Burden

Burden&Franc

The Union Jack is most commonly associated with the Monarchy, the

37% of English consider that the Union Jack represents a modern and

British Empire and the British Armed Forces across England, Wales and

diverse Britain, compared to 30% of Welsh and 25% of Scots.

Scotland. The flag is also associated with pride, patriotism, democracy

75% of English people associate the flag with ‘Team GB’ and the London

and tolerance. Scottish people are less likely than English or Welsh to

2012 Olympics, compared to 63% of Welsh people and just over half of

associate the Union Jack with patriotism. Scottish respondents more

Scots (55%).

likely to associate the Union Jack with racism and extremism. English

Around a third of English respondents (34%) thought the Union Jack

public more likely to associate the flag with upcoming Olympics and

could be associated with British pop music, compared to 24% of Scots

‘Team GB’.

and just 13% of Welsh respondents.

-Source http://yougov.co.uk/news/2012/05/01/what-does-unionjack-mean-you/

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