American icons and their cultural significance

¶ … Confederate flag "is one of the most controversial, inflammatory icons of American culture," (Sarratt). This paper will explore the history and semiotics of this American icon. A flag of a nation that was never born, the Confederate flag could have easily slipped into the annals of iconographic history along with the Gadsden flag that reads "Don't Tread on Me." However, the Confederate flag remains proudly in use among those who live in the American South. In some states like South Carolina, the Confederate flag flies officially on government flagpoles. Because the Confederate flag represents the values of those who protected the institution of slavery, the "stars and bars" motif is for some a declaration of racism.

This paper will trace the evolution of the Confederate flag. What is now recognized as the "stars and bars" was not actually the flag flown by the Confederate army ("Confederate Flag"). The first flag of the Confederacy resembled Old Glory except had only three stripes and seven stars in circular formation. A square version of the current "stars and bars" motif later replaced that flag.

During the Civil War, the Confederate flag invoked pride and solidarity among the Southern states. The flag did not as much symbolize racism as it did rebellion against the federal government in Washington, D.C. In fact, this remains one of the key reasons why some Americans continue to glorify the stars and bars. For those who support it, the flag is a symbol of rebellion, independence, and freedom from federalism.