Flag of the Confederate States

What the flag looks like

A square red field with a blue saltire edged in white, bearing thirteen white five-pointed stars.

What it means

The thirteen stars stood for the eleven seceded states plus Kentucky and Missouri, which the Confederacy also claimed.

How to remember it

The Confederate battle flag, a starred blue X on red, was carried by the armies of the states that seceded to preserve slavery; it was never the Confederacy's national flag.

Fun facts

• The Confederacy had three successive national flags; the first, the "Stars and Bars", had red and white stripes and a blue canton with a circle of stars.
• The battle flag was revived in the 20th century, notably by opponents of the civil rights movement, and is widely seen today as a symbol of slavery and racism.

Confederate States at a glance

Existed

1861–1865

This flag

A battle flag, never the national flag

Today

Eleven states of the US South

Capital

Richmond

Region

1861–1865

Languages

English

Currency

Confederate States dollar ($)

Flag adopted

1861