The State Flag of Florida

Florida includes a territory of land that was bartered and swapped between many national powers at one time or another. As such, the flags of France, Spain, Great Britain and the Confederacy have flown over this state throughout its history. When Florida was introduced into the Union in 1868, the first official state flag was unveiled; however, this flag has undergone several transformations since its first appearance in 1868.

The original state flag of Florida

The first state flag of Florida was simply the state seal centered on a white background. The state seal displays a scene that represents early Floridian life; it features the sun's rays over the high land, a cocoa tree, a steamboat, and a female Great Plains Indian scattering flower seeds upon the ground.

A red cross is added to the Florida state flag

In the 1890s, Florida's governor made the suggestion to add a red cross to the flag. He contended that the solid white background looked like a flag of surrender when lying limp on a flagpole. In 1900, Florida voters agreed, and added the St. Andrew's Cross (which eerily looks like Spain's Cross of Burgundy that flew across Florida when it was first founded) to the background of their state flag.

More updates are made to accurately depict current day Florida

In 1970 many changes were made to Florida's state seal. The cocoa tree was replaced with the palmetto palm, which is also the state tree of Florida. The headdress was removed from the American Indian woman since headdresses are worn only by men, and the female Indian was change to a Florida Seminole, as she was originally a Western Plains Indian.

Even today, the Florida flag still shares its space with the "Five Flags of Florida." Over many areas of Florida, the United Sates, Spain, France, Great Britain and Confederate flags are flown simultaneously alongside the Florida sate flag.