Countries from the viceroyalty of new spain
Mexico
Mexico has a very rich history filled with chaos and rebellions. The modern-day region of Mexico was originally created as New Spain, after Hernan Cortes conquered the Aztec Empire. At this time, they would use the flag of Spain. After almost 300 years, small riots began in New Spain as a result of Napoleon conquering Spain. The rebel soldiers chose the Virgin of Guadelupe (Mary) as their emblem on a white or blue and white background, like this. Their badge was taken from an old native legend, an eagle holding a snake on a prickly pear on a rock over a lake. In 1821, Mexico won its independence. It adopted the green, white, and red striped flag with a crowned eagle in the center, like this. The green represents the independence movement, the white the catholic faith, and the red the blood of the rebels who fought in the war. In 1823, the crown was replaced with laurel branches and the eagle held a snake when the kingdom became a republic. In 1864, the eagle was replaced by four crowned eagles at the corners of the flag and the coat of arms, as shown here. This flag was quickly changed back to its former state in 1867, and has remained basically the same since. Over the years it slowly was adopted into the coat of arms that it is today, like this. The official style was adopted in 1968, and has remained the same since.
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guatemala
The region of Guatemala was a part of the Mayan Empire, which was conquered by Spain in the early to mid 1500s. They would have used the flag of Spain as well as the Cross of Burgundy. The rulers over that region formed what would later be called the Captaincy General of Guatemala, which included the region of modern-day Guatemala and other countries. This was under the control of the Viceroyalty of New Spain. The Spanish flag flew over this region for about 300 years. In 1821, all of Central America rebelled from the Spanish Empire and formed the United States of Central America. They chose a flag with three stripes of blue, white and blue, with the Coat of Arms in the center. It was taken over for a little while by Mexico in 1821, but they regained their independence in 1823. after years of bloody conflict, the republic was dissolved in 1841. After becoming its own country, Guatemala pretty much kept theflag of the old republic, only they changed the coat of arms in the center. In 1851, the flag was changed to an unusual flag of a white stripe in the middle, with four half stripes of red, yellow and blue framing the white stripe. It was changed again in 1858 to 3 1/8 stripes of blue, white and red followed by a 1/4 stripe of yellow, mirrored by 3 other 1/8 stripes. This was replaced in 1871 with the old and current flag of blue and white, and while the coat of arms was replaced, it has remained unchanged since then.
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honduras
Honduras
Honduras was named by Christopher Columbus in 1502. Its name means "depths" for the deep waters off of the coast. It was ruled by Spain from the 1500s under the Viceroyalty of New Spain, and flew the Cross of Burgundy, until Napoleon conquered Spain in 1809. Rebellion broke out all over Central America, and Honduras was a part of it. In 1821, when New Spain defeated the Spanish, Honduras and the other Central American colonies all signed a joint Declaration of Independence from Spain. They were then briefly a part of the Mexican Empire, which flew this flag from 1821-1823 In 1823, when a revolution overthrew the emperor in Mexico, the new Congress let the Central American countries decide what to do with themselves. They chose to form the United Provinces of Central America. Their flag consisted of three horizontal stripes of blue, white and blue, with the coat of arms in the center of the white stripe. While the names of the countries and federations varied greatly, Honduras's flag remained unchanged until 1866. The congress amended the flag to replace the coat of arms with five stars to represent the five original countries of the United Provinces. In 1933, the flag was elongated, and the stars and stripes were darkened. Since then, it has remained the same. |
nicaragua
Nicaragua first came under Spanish rule in 1529, and was under the Spanish flag. It flew under the Burgundy Cross with the Viceroyalty of New Spain in 1538 and later the Captaincy General of Guatemala in 1570. In 1821, it gained its independence from Spain, but was incorporated into the Empire of New Spain, flying this flag. It was a part of the United Provinces of Central America in 1823, and later the Federal Republic of Central America. They flew a flag of three horizontal stripes, blue, white, and blue, with the coat of arms in the center. In 1838, they gained complete independence, but the flag remained unchanged. In 1852, they adopted a flag with a horizontal tricolor of white, yellow and red, with a green hill in the center. The flag changes now represent the struggle between the elite conservative and liberal parties. The brown and yellow represents conservatives, and the blue and white represents liberals. In 1854, the flag was replaced by a flag of yellow, white and brown. It was replaced in 1858 by a flag of blue white and blue. In 1873, conservatives regained power and used the brown-white-yellow flag. In 1889, a flag of five stripes, blue-white-red-white-blue was incorporated to try and unify the two parties. After a liberal revolt in 1893, the blue-white-blue flag replaced the old flag, and after some modifying of the coat of arms in the center, it was reformed to its current state today in 1908.
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el salvador
The region of El Salvador was conquered in 1509 by the Spanish in 1509, carrying the Spanish flag. It was named after Jesus Christ, with "Salvador" meaning savior. In 1609, it was brought under the control of the Captaincy General of Guatemala, flying the Burgundy Cross. After Napoleon conquered Spain, all of Central America was thrown into rebellion. After Spain was defeated in 1821, El Salvador joined the other Central American countries in signing a joint Declaration of Independence. El Salvador was then part of the Mexican Empire from 1821-1823, and carried the flag of the Mexican Empire. After the empire was overthrown, El Salvador was allowed to decide its own fate, and chose to join the United Provinces of South America until 1838, when it was dissolved (flag of United Provinces). As its own country, they chose a flag with nine stripes of alternating blue and white, and a red field in the corner and nine white stars representing the departments of the country. In 1875, more departments were added, and more stars were added to the flag. The stars and stripes were abandoned in 1912, and was replaced by the old flag of blue white and blue, with the country's coat of arms. It was officially adopted in 1972, and remains the same today.
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costa rica
Costa Rica was conquered by the Spanish in the early 1500s, flying under the Spanish flag. It was a part of the Viceroyalty of Guatemala, which flew the Cross of Burgundy. It fought in a revolution from 1810-1821 after Napoleon conquered Spain. In 1821, Costa Rica signed a joint declaration of independence with the other central american countries. Its first flag had a horizontal tricolor of blue-yellow-blue, used by freedom fighters who didn't want to unify with the Mexican Empire. However, it was officially under the flag of the Mexican Empire. When it was given the choice to secede, it formed its own country, and they used a white flag with a red six pointed star, representing the six districts. When it joined the United Provinces of Central America, it used the the same flag as its Union, a blue-white-blue tricolor with its seal in the middle. In 1824, it changed its flag to match the UPCA flag, but put its own state seal in the lower strip. After the UPCA broke up in 1838, it removed their seal and kept their own in the lower strip. In 1842, they moved the seal into the center. In 1848, to assure its own independence, the president changed the flag to a blue-white-red-white-blue flag with their coat of arms in the center. The ratio of the stripes was 1:1:2:1:1. In 1904, the coat of arms was shrunk to fit inside the red stripe, placed in a red oval, and moved to the hoist side of the flag. Then in 1964, the coat of arms was updated, and it has remained unchanged since then.
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