Flags were initially used during warfare, as field signs, representative of a specific army. The oldest flag is the flag of Scottland, which has been in continuous use since 832 AD. Whereas, the first national flag was most likely the Union Jack, adopted by the UK in 1801 but in use since 1603. As nationalism sentiment became popular, many countries began choosing flags to illustrate pride in their country. In 1777, the United States of America adopted a national flag as did the French in the 1790s. Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, many European countries began adopting national flags. Having a national flag became a sign of independence, unity, and nationalism. Flags are also frequently representative of a what a country stood for, their religion, and their history. Flags come in different colors and shapes. Some flags just use color while others include emblems or coat of arms, others use both. Gold, white, black, red, green, blue, and yellow are among the most popular color choices for flags. Today, there are 193 official national flags. What makes many of the flags so difficult to identify is the fact that a lot of them look so similar! Luckily, at the very least, each flag use's a different combination of colors. Imagine having to identify a list of 40 national flags based on a black-and-white image. Are you up for the challenge? Then take this quiz and find out if you can successfully identify these flags in black-and-white!
