The Burnet Flag – A Symbol of Texas and Independence

March 12, 2024 0 Comments

The burnet flag is a burnet flag of Texas and its independence. It was the official state flag of the Republic of Texas for three years (1836-1839). It is now referred to as the Lone Star flag, and is still used in this day. The flag was suggested by the first president of the Republic of Texas, David Burnet. He wanted to show the Texas’ unity and independence with a single lone star.

At the convention at Washington-on-the-Brazos in 1836, there was a discussion about a flag design. Lorenzo de Zavala had proposed a flag of a golden star on blue field, but it was never adopted. Later in the convention, a committee of five including Zavala proposed a flag that was much like the American Flag with the addition of a single white star of five points. This flag was later known as the “Burnet flag”.

Unveiling the Burnet Flag: History and Significance of a Texan Symbol

This particular design was likely inspired by the 1810 “Bonnie Blue” flag of the Republic of West Florida. This small nation was overthrown by a band of Anglo settlers. The flag went into folklore in the area including Natchitoches (where David Burnet lived in 1813) and eventually made its way to the mind of the Republic’s founder.

In the end, the congress voted for a simple blue-and-white flag with a single white star. There was also a version with a red-and-white flag in the canton. These two variants are often confused because the color of the lone star is different in each flag. The reversal of the blue and red is probably due to Mrs. Phelps misunderstanding of the proper color pattern from her previous experience living in Cuba. This was a common color reversal in other eras as well.

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