State flag of the Russian Federation- This is the official symbol of Russia along with its coat of arms and anthem. The rectangular panel of white, blue and red colors - the Russian tricolor - has its own history. The flag has changed over the centuries, and its history reflects the stages of development and change in Russia.

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1668

Until the 17th century, there was no single state flag in Russia. The first mention of it is associated with the name of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov. In 1668, in accordance with European tradition, he commanded to raise the flag over the first Russian warship, named "Eagle". It is known that for the manufacture of the first flag, scarlet, white and blue matter were purchased, although there is no exact information about how it looked. There are several versions on this score, according to one of them, a double-headed eagle was also depicted on the flag. It is believed that in its type the first naval flag went back to some archery banners of the middle of the 17th century, or even earlier periods.

1693

This year, while sailing on the White Sea, Peter the Great used the “flag of the Tsar of Moscow” on his yacht for the first time. The flag consisted of three horizontal stripes (white, blue and red), in the center of the flag was a golden double-headed eagle. Thus, the fleet got its own single flag, which de facto can be considered the state flag of Russia.

1705

On January 20, Peter I issued a decree on placing a white-blue-red flag on merchant ships. This flag was also used as the field flag of the Russian army, and white-blue-red scarves were part of the officer's uniform from 1700 to 1732.

1712

In the navy, the Andreevsky flag, white with an azure cross, created in honor of the Order of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called, was approved. The layout of the flag was created personally by Peter I.

1806

On the basis of the Petrovsky tricolor, other flags were subsequently developed. So, in 1806, the flag of the Russian-American campaign appeared: a traditional tricolor with a black double-headed eagle and the inscription "Russian-American Company" in the middle of the white stripe.

1858

Alexander II approved a new design for the flag for solemn occasions (black-yellow-white). The initiator of the changes was Baron Kene, who drew the emperor's attention to the fact that the colors of the flag did not match the colors of the coat of arms, while this circumstance was contrary to the rules of German heraldry.

1865

A decree was issued in which black, orange (gold) and white were called the state colors of the Russian Empire. Its colors symbolized earth, gold and silver. Note that the black-yellow-white flag has never been popular in society - associations with Austria and the House of Habsburg were too strong.

1883

During the celebration of the coronation of Alexander III, the emperor drew attention to the contrast of the festive procession, decorated with black-yellow-white flowers, and the city, which was dominated by white-blue-red colors. On April 28, 1883, the emperor ordered the use of the white-blue-red flag of the merchant marine fleet exclusively on solemn occasions.

1896

On the eve of the coronation of Nicholas II, the Peter's tricolor was officially given the status of the state flag. At the same time, the red color symbolized "sovereignty", azure - the patronage of the Mother of God, and white - freedom and independence.

1918

In April of this year, at the suggestion of Sverdlov, a red flag with a gold inscription of the RSFSR in the upper left corner became the state flag. The idea of ​​the flag seems to have been borrowed from European revolutionaries and socialists.

1954

Until that time, the state flag of the RSFSR was often replaced by a red flag without inscriptions and drawings. On May 2, 1954, the final version of the flag was approved by decree of the Presidium of the RSFSR. Now the flag consisted of a red cloth with a light blue stripe at the pole in the entire width of the flag. On the red cloth, in the upper left corner, were depicted a golden hammer and sickle, as well as a red five-pointed star, bordered by gold, above them.

1991

On August 22, 1991, a new history of the Russian flag began. The national flag was recognized as a rectangular panel with different-sized horizontal stripes of white, blue and red colors and an aspect ratio of 1:2. Since 1994, August 22 has been declared the Day of the State Flag of the Russian Federation.

1993

On December 11 of this year, Russian President Boris Yeltsin issued Decree No. 2126 “On the State Flag of the Russian Federation”, which approved the colors and proportions of the flag in the form in which we have them now.

2008

Since October 15, 2008, the state flag of the Russian Federation can be used by individuals, public associations, enterprises, institutions and organizations for purposes that are not desecration of the flag.

The state chooses its distinctive features. Own flag, coat of arms and anthem of Russia are essential attributes. For several centuries, the banner has changed.

The Russian flag of white-blue-red was finally approved in 1991. Since 1994, when the president signed the corresponding decree, the Russian flag day has been traditionally celebrated on August 22 every year.

History of appearance

It is not known for certain when it appeared and who invented the banner used today as a state banner in the Russian Federation. There are a huge number of versions.

Historians believe that the modern flag of the Russian Federation owes its appearance to the emperor. It was he who first used the tricolor as a symbol of the fleet. The emperor thus designated the belonging of the ship to a certain power.

It is not known why Peter I chose this particular color variation for the imperial flag. Historians offer many different theories. Some believe that the emperor was so willing to support other states that have similar colors on their flags. Others say that only white, red and blue fabrics were in stock.

Despite the mention of the symbol in Ancient Russia, it began to be used during the reign of Peter I. The emperor used it in diplomatic missions, trade and in military operations.

The meaning of the national flag for the country

It was difficult to determine the belonging of merchant ships, army troops or a settlement to a certain power. Flags were used to solve the problem. Bright canvases, erected in a conspicuous place, were a means of identification.

At present, the symbol of the state contributes to the education of patriotism, respect for the native land, gives a sense of spiritual and blood unity. The national flag is of great importance in international relations.

The meaning of the colors of the tricolor

There are many versions of the interpretation of the shades used in the state symbol of Russia. According to one of the unofficial interpretations, the meaning of flowers represents:

• white - purity, purity, innocence;
• blue - faith and constancy;
• red - the blood that was shed for the sovereignty of the state by the ancestors.

Considering that the history of the appearance of the symbol has more than three centuries, there is also a historical version of the interpretation of the tricolor. The ancient Slavs believed that the location of the stripes on the flag and their color is a reflection of the structure of the world. In this case, the top stripe symbolizes the divine world, the middle - blue - the heavenly world, and the bottom - the physical.

Another version - the flag reflects the unity of the three fraternal peoples. Then the red stripe is a symbol of Great Russia, the blue one is Little Russia, and the white one is Belarus. The most common interpretation is freedom, faith and sovereignty, respectively, according to the location of the bands.

Symbols of the troops of the Russian army

In addition to the standards of commanders and banners, each branch of the Russian Federation has distinctive symbols - flags. The modern version of the banners was approved by the President in November 2003, and a corresponding decree was signed.

Flags of Russian troops

The Ministry of Defense is a two-sided rectangular canvas. The drawing of both parts is identical. The flag depicts a cross expanding towards the base, each beam of which is divided in half and painted in blue and red. The emblem of the Ministry of Defense of Russia is placed in the central part of the cloth. The state symbol was approved by presidential decree in July 2003.

The flag of the Russian Air Force is a double-sided sky-blue canvas. In the central part of the military symbolism, there is an anti-aircraft gun and a silver-colored propeller crossed among themselves. Also on the flag are 14 yellow rays, which expand from the center of the cloth to its edges. Military symbols were approved in May 2004 by the Order of the Minister of Defense.

The flag of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia - military symbols is a double-sided canvas, painted in the colors of the state tricolor. There is a blue square in the roof of the Ministry symbol. Its height is equal to two stripes of the Russian flag, white and blue. The red stripe runs across the width of the entire canvas. The square contains an octagonal star with four elongated rays. In the center of the star is placed an orange circle and a blue triangle.

St. Andrew's flag of Russia is the official military symbol of the Navy. On a white panel, diagonal lines crossed with each other, resembling a large blue cross, are depicted. The naval ensign of Russia was approved in 1992 by presidential decree.

The border flag of Russia - there are several varieties of the banner. The banners are united by one detail - a green cross expanding towards the base. In the central part there is a golden eagle with two heads.

The flag of the Russian Ground Forces is a red canvas. In the center is the emblem of the land arm of the army - a golden hue of grenada, located against the background of two swords crossed between each other. The symbol was approved by Order of the Minister of Defense in 2004.

The flag of the Space Forces is a double-sided sky-blue canvas. In the center of the cloth there is a small emblem, which is a stylized drawing of a rocket launching against the backdrop of the planet Earth. The ball is divided by horizontal stripes - dark blue, blue, white and red. The military symbols of the space forces were approved by the Order of the Minister of Defense in June 2004.

Coat of arms of the Russian Federation: its history and meaning

Important symbols are the flag and coat of arms of Russia. The eagle is found on the coats of arms of most princes. Today it is the coat of arms of the state. For the first time, such an image appeared at. The emblem of Russia - a double-headed eagle, looking in different directions, indicates that the country is the successor of the Third Rome and Byzantium.

Before becoming a sign of the state, the symbol has undergone changes. Various elements were added to his image. One of the most complex emblems in the world lasted until 1917. Flags with the image of an eagle were used to mark state campaigns or served as the personal standards of the sovereign.

The meaning of the emblem of the Russian Federation is the orientation of the country to the East and West. It is understood that the state is not an element of any of the cardinal points. Russia is a combination of the best qualities of the West and the East.

The horse rider, located in the central part of the coat of arms, who kills the snake, has a rich history. In ancient Russia, this symbol was often used by princes. The horseman is the guise of a prince. Emperor Peter I decided that the coat of arms depicts St. George the Victorious.

The three crowns located at the top of the emblem did not appear immediately. During the use of the symbol, their number changed from one to three and back. Explained the existence of crowns on the emblem. The king said that they symbolize the Siberian, Kazan and Astrakhan kingdoms. It is now believed that crowns are the emblem of an independent country.

In its paws, a double-headed eagle holds a scepter and orb. In 1917, the elements were removed from the emblem. Traditionally, the orb and scepter are a symbol of state power and unity. The golden color of the bird indicates the wealth of the country, its prosperity and grace.

7 former flags of Russia

In ancient times, the banner was called the "banner". Under him gathered the army of the state. Traditionally, the color of the Russian flag is red. Under the banners of this shade, Ivan the Terrible and

During the time of Ivan the Terrible, a red banner with an image was used. Russian troops under this banner conquered Kazan. For a century and a half, the banner with Christ was the official flag of Tsarist Russia.

During the reign of Alexei Mikhailovich, there was no permanent banner. The troops acted under different banners. The flag of this king is symbolic. Its basis is the cross. The emblem symbolizes the mission of the state on the scale of the Universe.

Under Peter the Great, a red flag with a white border would have been approved. In the center of the banner was an eagle flying over sea water. Such a banner existed until the emperor's interest in everything European.

Peter I introduced a new flag. Outwardly, the banner resembles a modern tricolor. The emperor personally depicted the banner, on which there were horizontal stripes of white, red and blue.

In Russia, the Andreevsky flag became the state symbol in 1712. Now the banner is the military symbol of the country's fleet.

With the coming to power of the Romanov dynasty, the banner also changed. The tsar approved the banner of white-black-yellow as the official symbol of the state. The banner began to be used after the victory over the army. The black-white-yellow color was not chosen by chance. The banner is based on Russian tradition. The white tint symbolizes St. George, black - an eagle with two heads, yellow - the golden field of the coat of arms.

White-blue-red banner with an eagle - this option was approved in 1914. The banner was not considered official. The banner symbolized the unity of the people and the ruler.

The history of the Russian Federation is interesting and multifaceted. At all times, the unity of the Russian people with the ruler was of particular importance. This was symbolized by the former flags used in Russia.

The white color in the tricolor symbolizes frankness and nobility, red - love, courage and courage, and blue - loyalty and honesty. The state banner indicates the solidarity of the Russian people with the fraternal peoples. The strength of each person lies in the knowledge of the history of the country - we must not forget about it.

Over time, banners appeared in Russia in the form of a canvas attached to a pole. They were called banners, they gathered warriors around them.
Banners could be of different shapes, but in Russia they were often found in the form of an elongated triangle.
Since the 15th century, the word “banner” has been increasingly used to designate the banner and banners. From now on, the banner was perceived not just as a sign, but as a relic common to the entire army, like an icon with saving properties. The banners depicted the face of Jesus Christ, the Virgin, saints, scenes from the Bible, the text of the Gospel, the cross. In medieval Russia, both military units and military regalia were also called banners. The banner is a symbol of unification. The troops met around the battle banner. The banner meant the headquarters of the commander or the center of the battle formation. The number of banners determined the number of troops. Raising the banner meant declaring readiness for battle, lowering it meant admitting defeat. The loss of the banner was a heavy shame on the entire military unit. Capturing an enemy banner in battle was considered a special distinction.
It is difficult to judge the color scheme, but in historical sources they are named: red, green, blue, blue, white.
In XVII-XVIII, a kind of banners appeared in Russia - ensign (a small banner with long tails). Thus, even in the second half of the 7th century in Russia there was no state, national flag, and the royal banner could not be considered as such.
The Russian flag owes its birth to the Russian fleet.
In 1667-1669. in the village of Dedinovo on the Oka, the first flotilla of Russia was built. It was intended to protect trade caravans sailing along the Volga and the Caspian Sea, and consisted of a three-masted ship "Eagle" and four smaller ships.
By that time, the leading maritime powers already had their own flags, which were raised on ships. The flags served as the identification mark of the ship and the state to which the ship belonged. It is from maritime flags that many state phages originate.
It is known that the first flag set on the Eagle ship consisted of white, blue and red colors, but they were not arranged in horizontal stripes. Some historians think so. They believe that the flag consisted of four parts. The blue cross divided the cloth into 4 parts, and the white and red colors were staggered. There is another opinion that the flag looked like the modern flag of Russia.
It is known that in 1693 in Arkhangelsk on ships Peter I raised a flag with horizontal stripes (white - blue - red), named the flag of the Tsar of Moscow. In 1690, the white-blue-red flag became the symbol of the Russian state, primarily at sea.
The Russian tricolor (tricolor flag) probably originated from the Dutch model. Holland in the 17th century was one of the great maritime powers. Its flag is orange, white and blue. Soon the orange color was changed to red.
The arrangement of the stripes on the Russian flag was different, and the symbolism of the colors reflected Russian traditions. The order of colors on the flag is white, blue, red.
The red color, the color of blood, as it were, denoted the earthly world, blue - the celestial sphere, white - the divine light. All three colors have long been revered in Russia.
Red was considered a symbol of courage and courage, as well as a synonym for beauty. The blue color was considered a symbol of the Mother of God. White color personified peace, purity, nobility. All three colors also corresponded to the Moscow coat of arms: on a white horse St. George in a blue mantle on a red field of the shield.
In the era of Peter the Great, other Russian flags appeared. One of them is St. Andrew's flag - a blue oblique cross on a white field. Apostle Andrew was considered the patron saint of Russia and navigation. St. Andrew's flag has become the flag of the Russian Navy, it is raised on warships. But the tricolor was not forgotten. In 1705, the tsar issued a decree on what the flag should be on Russian merchant ships. The text of the decree was accompanied by a drawing of a flag of three stripes - white, blue and red. CONTINUED ON THE SITE

Ask any Russian military sailor about the two most important colors he associates with the fleet, and you will hear the answer: blue and white. And it's completely natural. These are the colors of one of the most famous naval flags in the world - the Russian flag of St. Andrew. in Russia, a holiday is celebrated in his honor: on this day in 1699, Peter the Great approved the famous oblique blue cross on a white background as a symbol of the Russian navy.

The vessels of the Russian Imperial Navy sailed under the Andreevsky flag for more than two centuries: from 1699 to 1924. This cloth overshadowed the most famous naval battles that made the glory of Russian sailors: Gogland and Gangut, Sinop and Chesme, Chios and Tsushima. Under this flag, without caring about the number of enemy ships, the battleship Azov and the brig Mercury, the cruiser Varyag and the gunboat Koreets, the sailing ship Oryol and the destroyer Steregushchiy went into battle. A blue oblique cross on a white background overshadowed the shores of Antarctica, brought there by the sloops "Vostok" and "Mirny", traveled around the globe on the frigate "Pallada" and the corvette "Vityaz". And it has always remained a symbol of the selfless service of Russian sailors to the Motherland.

Gangut battle. Artist Rudolf Yakhnin. museum.navy.ru

The cross that overshadowed the Russian fleet

There is a beautiful legend about how exactly the first Russian emperor Peter Alekseevich came up with a drawing of the St. Andrew's flag. Say, after sitting up late over the sketches of the naval flag for the newly emerging Russian fleet, the tsar dozed off right at the table. And waking up in the morning, he suddenly saw an oblique blue cross that fell on a white sheet in front of his face. So bizarrely the sunlight refracted and lay on the paper, passing through the colored stained-glass window on the window of the royal office ...

Alas, in reality, all this could hardly have happened just like that. The first sketch, on which the oblique St. Andrew's Cross appeared, was drawn in 1692 simultaneously with another - the classic white-blue-red. Against the background of the same tricolor, the sovereign was first depicted with an oblique blue cross, which could hardly have been the result of a successful play of light and shadow.

Peter I. Painter Paul Delaroche (1838). wikipedia.org

Finally, the St. Andrew's flag established itself as the main naval flag of Russia in 1712, when Peter I signed the highest decree on its widespread use: “the flag is white, through which the blue cross of St. Andrew for the sake of the fact that Russia received holy baptism from this apostle.

There is another reason why Peter the Great chose the St. Andrew's Cross as a symbol of the Russian navy. In 1703, the Russians occupied the island of Kotlin, and thus the cherished dream of the first Russian emperor came true - access to the Baltic Sea. It became the fourth sea for Russia, on which the empire established its dominion: together with the Caspian, Azov and White. And thus, the four-pointed St. Andrew's Cross received a completely new meaning for Russia.

Die at the flag post

“All Russian military ships should not lower flags, pennants and topsails in front of anyone, under the penalty of deprivation of the stomach,” says the “Charter of the Sea about everything related to good management when the fleet was at sea,” written by Peter I himself. was strictly observed in the Russian fleet, and there was no dishonor worse for Russian sailors than lowering the flag in the face of the enemy.

So that no one could decide on such madness alone, the stern St. Andrew's flag - namely, it was and is considered the main one on the ships of the Russian fleet - was always guarded by an armed sentry. Suffice it to say that the same strict protection was provided on sailing ships only by the hook-chamber, that is, the ship's storage of gunpowder and cores.

The book of the Russian Navy historian Nikolai Manvelov "Customs and Traditions of the Russian Imperial Fleet" provides some amazing facts about how the sailors guarding the flag did not leave their posts until the arrival of a new sentry, even after severe injuries. For example, the author writes, “during the battle at Port Arthur on January 27, 1904, Nikifor Pecheritsa, sentry near the stern flag of the armored cruiser Bayan, received shrapnel wounds in both legs, but did not leave the post. They changed it only after the battle - the officers noticed that the non-commissioned officer was standing in an extremely unnatural position. One of the last left his ship in the Korean port of Chemulpo (modern Icheon) and sentry at the banner of the cruiser "Varyag". The boatswain Pyotr Olenin did not change throughout the battle and did not die by a miracle - the Dutchwoman and trousers were cut with shrapnel, the butt of the rifle was broken and the boot was torn. At the same time, the non-commissioned officer himself received only a slight wound in the leg. The sentry at the flag on the mainmast of the armored cruiser "Russia" in the battle with Japanese ships in the Korea Strait on August 1, 1904 temporarily left the post only at the request of the senior officer of the cruiser. By that time, he had been repeatedly wounded and was bleeding. It is not difficult to guess that he returned to his place immediately after the dressing.

Cruiser "Varyag". Photo: wwportal.com

And it must be admitted that it was not the “fine deprivation of the stomach” that kept the Russian sailors from lowering the flag in front of the enemy, but the firm conviction that this act could not be justified. Not without reason, in the entire history of the Russian fleet, only two cases are known when the ships nevertheless decided to lower the flag - but, surprisingly, none of the officers and sailors were punished for this by death. Probably because living with the stigma of an perjurer and a coward was a much greater punishment than losing one's life.

"So that in the future, cowards for the Russian fleet do not produce"

The first case occurred in May 1829, when the commander of the Raphael frigate, Captain II rank Semyon Stroinikov, in order to save his team from certain death, lowered the St. Andrew's flag in front of the Turkish squadron that outnumbered him. The captured ship became part of the Turkish fleet and after 24 years during the Battle of Sinop was burned by the Russian squadron - as required by the royal decree, which forever crossed out the name "Raphael" from the list of ships of the Russian fleet. And the dishonored crew was captured and after the end of the war returned to their homeland, where they were almost in full force - from the captain to the last hold, with the exception of one midshipman who objected to the commander! - Was demoted to sailors. In addition, Emperor Nicholas I, by his personal decree, forbade the former commander of the frigate to marry, "so that in the future he would not produce cowards for the Russian fleet." True, this measure was late: by that time, Stroynikov already had two sons - Nikolai and Alexander, and the shame of his father did not prevent them from becoming naval officers and rising to the ranks of rear admirals.

Two saints on one flag Naval St. George banner flag - an award for the defense of Sevastopol in the Crimean War. Photo: Museum of the History of the Black Sea Fleet (Sevastopol) On June 5 (17), 1819, by the imperial decree of Alexander I, the St. George St. Andrew's flag was approved, where a red heraldic shield with the canonical image of St. George the Victorious was depicted on top of the St. Andrew's Cross. So on one flag appeared the symbols of two saints at once, especially revered in Russia: St. George and St. Andrew the Apostle.

The second case of the lowering of the St. Andrew's flag was recorded already in the reign of the last autocrat of the All-Russian Nicholas II. On the second day of the Tsushima battle, five ships of the Russian fleet at once decided on dishonor in order to save the lives of 2280 Russian sailors. As the author of the book Customs and Traditions of the Russian Imperial Fleet writes, then “the Japanese fleet under the command of Admiral Heihachiro Togo surrendered two squadron battleships, two coastal defense battleships and a destroyer, on board of which was the seriously wounded commander of the 2nd squadron of the Pacific Fleet, vice- Admiral Zinovy ​​Rozhdestvensky. To the surprise of contemporaries, the admirals of the surrendered warships were treated very gently. Rear Admiral Nikolai Nebogatov, commander of the 3rd combat detachment of the squadron, was first deprived of his ranks and awards, and then, in 1906, sentenced to death, immediately replaced by 10 years in a fortress. However, he served only 3 years and was released early. The fleet, however, did not forgive him for lowering the flag - the son of Nebogatov, who studied at the Naval Cadet Corps, was so obstructed that he had to leave the corps and give up all hope of becoming a naval officer. The same replacement of the death penalty with a ten-year imprisonment in the fortress awaited the commanders of the ships that surrendered with Nebogatov.

Return of the legend

The fact that in the entire two-century-plus history of the Russian navy, the St. Andrew's flag was lowered in the face of the enemy only twice, and examples when our sailors raised the signal “I die, but do not give up!” and stood to the end, there was much more, says a lot. First of all, about the pride with which Russian sailors carried their rank and their blue-and-white symbol. And they carried it to the last: after Russia became Soviet, the St. Andrew's flag continued to fly over the Russian ships, which their crews managed to take away from Sevastopol to distant Bizert. Only there, and only after France recognized Soviet Russia in 1924 and refused to recognize the flags of the Russian Empire, did the sailors lower the legendary banners with tears in their eyes.

But Andrew's colors have not gone away! On the first flag of the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Fleet, only the St. Andrew's Cross was present - albeit on a red background and adjacent to a red star. But, when a new naval flag was approved in 1935, its main colors were returned: a white flag with a wide blue stripe. Having abandoned all the symbols of the "rotten autocracy", the Bolsheviks still did not dare to encroach on the symbol of the Russian fleet

And the fleet adequately responded to this decision. Under the Soviet naval flag, Russian sailors gained no less fame than under Andreevsky, worthily continuing the work of their predecessors and not disgracing their honor. When the country ceased to be Soviet, one of the first decisions of the All-Army Officers' Meeting on January 17, 1992 was a petition to replace the naval flag of the USSR with the naval flag of Russia - Andreevsky. On the same day, the Russian government adopted a resolution on the return of the status of the Andreevsky flag. The presidential decree approving the new flags of the country, including the naval one, was signed on July 21, 1992.

* Decree by Peter was signed on December 1, 1699 according to the old style. Due to discrepancies in the dates in some sources, December 10 is considered the Day of the St. Andrew's flag.

MBOU OOSH village Vyazovoe

Research

Prepared by: Vladimirtsev Denis

7th grade student MBOU secondary school s. Vyazovoe

Head: Ustinov S.A.

teacher of history and social studies

2014

Plan

Introduction

1.History of the flag of Russia

2.Modern flag of Russia

3. The meaning of the colors of the flag

Conclusion

Bibliography

Introduction

Each state has its own symbols. They personify the system of its values, reflect the peculiarities of historical development, the customs and traditions that have developed in it. The symbols of the state have their own history, they have come a long way and they have a deep meaning. At the sound of the anthem, the heart begins to beat excitedly. Sports fans paint their faces in national colors, winners of competitions often come to tears when the moisture of their native country soars upwards. All love for the Motherland is expressed through respect for its symbols. Without their veneration it is impossible to become a citizen. After all, this is a historical memory, a living legend about the past and present, about the life of the state. Russia also has its own symbols - the flag, coat of arms and anthem. One of them, expressing its independence, independence is the state flag. I learned that the Russian flag has a long history, its appearance has changed over time. Therefore, I decided to study the history of the emergence of the Russian flag, explore its changes in various historical eras, find out the meaning of the colors of the Russian flag and prove that the history of the flag is connected with the past, heroic and tragic pages of our Motherland.

1.History of the flag of Russia

The history of state flags is inextricably linked with the history of fleets, and Russia is no exception. The Russian flag owes its birth to the Russian fleet.

Emperor Peter the Great is considered to be the creator of the Russian fleet. Peter the Great himself, in the main maritime document of his time, the Naval Charter, announced and diligently emphasized that he was not the initiator, but only the successor of the creation of the fleet, the true beginning of which was laid by his father, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich.

The construction of the first naval ships in Russia began by decree of Alexei Mikhailovich five years before the birth of Peter the Great. In 1667-1669. in the village of Dedinovo on the Oka, the first flotilla of Russia was built. It was intended to protect trade caravans sailing along the Volga and the Caspian Sea from pirate attacks and consisted of a three-masted ship "Eagle" with 22 guns and four smaller ships.

The captain of the ship "Eagle" asked the government what flags should be raised by his flotilla. After all, the flag served as the identification mark of the ship, and the state thus indicated that the ship was under its protection.

In April 1668, Russian ships were ordered to issue a large amount of matter in white, blue and red colors. But how exactly these colors were located on the first flags is unknown.

Some believe that, by analogy with the archery banners common at that time, the first Russian flag was a panel with a straight blue cross and corners of white and red.

Others believe that the first state flag of Russia had the same composition that exists to this day: from three horizontal

The alleged appearance of the flag of the ship "Eagle" stripes of white, blue and red.

It was the striped white-blue-red flag that was used by Peter I during his first shipbuilding experiments and the first sea voyage in 1693.

We must not forget that the builders of the first Russian ships were the Dutch, they also made up their teams. The Russians did not know ship art and completely trusted the Dutch masters in all matters of ship building. It is likely that when the time came to create the flag and the colors to be used in it - white, blue and red - were determined, the Dutch craftsmen created the flag according to the tradition adopted in their homeland. The flag of the Netherlands at that time was striped, red-white-blue (instead of red, an orange stripe was also often used). It is possible that, according to the Dutch tradition, the Russian flag was also composed of three horizontal stripes, and a different arrangement of color stripes was used to clearly distinguish the Russian symbol from the Dutch one.

The history of the first Russian ships was short. In 1670, they came to Astrakhan, but did not have time to start military service: in the same year, Astrakhan was captured by the detachments of Stepan Razin and the ships stationed in it were burned. Together with the ships, their flags also perished, but the memory of the first Russian state white-blue-red flag remained.

In 1688, an insignificant event took place, the consequences of which drastically affected the history of our country. The young Tsar Peter I, walking through the palace barns in the village of Izmailovskoye near Moscow, found a dilapidated English boat (a large sailing boat), became interested in him, having learned that the boat can sail both with the wind and against the wind, ordered to restore the find. Soon Peter was sailing on a boat and learning to sail. Passionately carried away by sailing, the tsar obtained permission from his mother to transport the boat to Pereyaslav Lake, where new ships were soon built. The history of the Russian fleet began with these youthful amusements.

The fleet needed the main identification mark - the flag - and the flags were not slow to appear on the "amusing" ships of Peter I. It is not known whether the flags were used on the boat, but it is significant that horizontal white, blue and red stripes were placed on the sides of the boat. The ships of the Pereyaslav flotilla had flags, there was no information about what they looked like, but it is known that white, blue and red matter was purchased for them in equal quantities.

On August 6, 1693, during the voyage of Peter I on the 12-gun yacht "Saint Peter", in the White Sea with a detachment of warships, the so-called "Flag of the Tsar" was raised as a standard for the first time.

Moscow" - a panel consisting of three horizontal stripes of white, blue and red

Flag of the Tsar of Moscow

flowers, with a golden double-headed eagle in the middle.

However, the "Flag of the Tsar of Moscow" was not the only flag used in the 1690s - 1700s.In 1697-1700. striped white-blue-red flags were used on the first Russian warships. The first merchant ships were supposed to use a white flag with a double-headed eagle, however, references to the actualThe use of such a flag has not been preserved: alreadyfrom the late 1690s Russian merchant ships sail under a white-blue-red flag.

Around 1700, a solid foundation for the flag system of Russia was formed. Peter refuses the “Flag of the Tsar of Moscow” and adopts a fundamentally new flag as his standard: a yellow cloth with a black double-headed eagle holding maps of the four seas in its beaks and paws.

On January 20, 1705, Peter I issued a decree according to which a white-blue-red flag should be hoisted on all merchant ships.

The three-striped flag was also used on warships until 1712, when the St. Andrew's flag was approved as the naval flag. The white-blue-red flag becomes the commercial flag (that is, the flag of civil ships).

Despite the fact that Peter I developed a huge number of flags during his life (various versions of the St. Andrew's flag, the standards of the Tsar of Moscow and the Emperor of All Russia, variants of guises, etc.), he never set the state flag of the Russian Empire.

In 1858, during the reign of Emperor Alexander II, the chairman of the heraldic chamber of the Russian Empire, Baron Kene, drew the attention of the sovereign to the fact that the colors of the national flag of Russiado not match the colors of the state emblem.

By decree of Alexander II of June 11, 1858, a black-yellow-white "flag of coat of arms" was introduced:“Description of the Highest approved drawing of the arrangement of the coat of arms of the Empire on banners, flags and other items used for decorations on solemn occasions. The location of these The colors are horizontal, the top stripe is black, the middle one is yellow (or gold), and the bottom one is white (or silver).

Thus, the flag of coat of arms became the first officially approved state flag of Russia. Russian society did not accept this new symbol of state power: in the empire there were two flags in parallel: black-yellow-white and white-blue-red, and the preferences of the population were universally given to the latter.

Emperor AlexanderIIIduring the coronation, he drew attention to the contrast in Moscow: the Kremlin was decorated and the whole procession was dressed in black, yellow and white, and white, blue and red colors prevailed in the city. A commission of authoritative persons was appointed, which made the following decision:“The white-blue-red flag, established by Emperor Peter the Great, is almost 200 years old. Heraldic data are also noticed in it: the Moscow coat of arms depicts a white horseman in a blue cloak on a red field ... On the other hand, white-yellow-black colors have neither historical nor heraldic foundations.

Based on the decision of the commission, the white-blue-red was approved as the national flag. April 28, 1883 (May 7, 1883 this decision was included in the Collection of Laws of the Russian Empire) by AlexanderIIIThe Decree on Flags for Decorating Buildings on Solemn Occasions was issued, ordering the use of a white-blue-red flag exclusively. From that moment on, black-yellow-white was considered the dynastic flag of the reigning house of the Romanovs.

The last Russian Emperor Nicholas II in 1896 finally secured the status of the only state flag of the Russian Empire for the white-blue-red flag.

With the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, in order to raise the patriotism of the population, an additional imperial flag "for use in private life" was introduced by a special circular of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It differed from the state flag of the empire in a yellow square with a black double-headed eagle (a composition corresponding to the emperor's palace standard). The eagle was depicted without title emblems on the wings, the square overlapped the white and about a quarter of the blue stripe of the flag.

However, this flag did not gain currency; Contrary to popular belief, it has never been the state flag of the Russian Empire. The new flag was not introduced as mandatory, its use was only "allowed". The symbolism of the flag emphasized the unity of the king with the people. The white-blue-red state flag lasted until 1918.

The fateful year of 1917 opened a terrible and bloody page in our history. The provisional government, which seized power in February 1917, changed the coat of arms and anthem of Russia, but the traditional white-blue-red flag was considered a historic national symbol and kept. However, the power of the Provisional Government was fragile and short-lived; in October 1917 it was overthrown.

The Bolsheviks attached paramount importance to the symbolic assertion of their power, and here, as in any revolution, a special place belonged, first of all, to the flag.

Since the middle of the second half of the 19th century, the red banner has served as a symbol of the left forces (it also had an interpretation - a banner of the color of blood shed in the struggle for communist ideas). The red color of the revolution did not change even after the October events. On the basis of this party symbol, the symbolism of the new Soviet state was created.

In the first months of Soviet power, the role of the state flag was performed by a rectangular red flag, which did not have any inscriptions or emblems. However, this type of state flag was not established by any documents.

On April 8, 1918, the issue of the national flag was discussed at a meeting of the Council of People's Commissars. The decision of the Council of People's Commissars proposed declaring a red flag with the letters "P. V.S.S.” (that is, with the abbreviation of the motto "Proletarians of all countries, unite!").

However, this proposal was not accepted. By a decree of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee of April 13, 1918, the red banner with the inscription "Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic" was proclaimed the official flag of the RSFSR. Since 1922, the RSFSR has become part of a single state - the USSR. The national flag of the USSR, according to the Constitution of 1924, was“a red or scarlet cloth with an image on its upper corner near the shaft of a golden hammer and sickle and above it a red five-pointed star framed by a golden border.” This flag of the USSR remained until 1991.

2.Modern flag of Russia

The historical destinies of Russia made it possible for the white-blue-red flag to return to our lives today. Back in 1989, on the occasion of the anniversary of the February Revolution, it was raised by protesters on Mayakovsky Square in Moscow and in front of the Kazan Cathedral in Leningrad. In April 1991, the Government Commission of the Council of Ministers of the RSFSR approved the use of the three-striped flag as a new symbol of the Russian Federation. In the same year (August 22), the Extraordinary Session of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR decided "to consider the historical flag of Russia - a panel of equal horizontal white, azure and scarlet stripes as the official National Flag of the Russian Federation."It is believed that the newest history of the Petrine tricolor flag dates back to August 22, 1991, when, as a sign of victory over the putschists, it was hoisted over the White House.

On August 22, 1991, a rally was scheduled, during which the tricolor flag was supposed to fly. The matter remained small - to find the tricolor, but it was not at hand. Then someone remembered that he had seen him in the office of the then Minister of Foreign Economic Relations Yaroshenko. Here we have to go back to 1990. In autumn, an exhibition of Russian goods was held in Sweden, and Yaroshenko, who arrived at it, wanted to raise a tricolor flag in front of the pavilion. The artist, who designed the exhibition, liked the idea, and he sewed a solid, two meters by three, banner. However, the Russian commissar of the exhibition intervened, who banned such, at that time, amateur performances. Yaroshenko took the tricolor to Moscow and hung it in his office. Now he came in handy. Soon the flag appeared on Krasnopresnenskaya embankment. The rally was in full swing, when, to the applause of the audience, during the speech of B.N. Yeltsin, the red flag of the RSFSR with a blue stripe was lowered, and in its place the historical tricolor number one flew up. He crowned the White House for only a day, being too small for such a grandiose building. Yes, and it was not sewn according to the standards adopted in such cases and requiring a particularly durable fabric, which hardly discolors and wears out little to withstand rain, sun, wind. The next day, just such a banner was raised over the White House, and the tricolor, taken from the minister, returned to its owner.Presidential Decrees 1993 - 1994 the status of this flag as a state symbol was determined, the colors were clearly established: white-blue-red (instead of: white, azure, scarlet). August 22 is declared the Day of the State Flag of the Russian Federation.

According to Article 70 of the Russian Constitution of 1993, state symbols are approved by a special federal constitutional law. The federal constitutional law “On the State Flag of the Russian Federation” was adopted by the State Duma on December 8, 2000, on December 20 it was approved by the Federation Council, and on December 25 of the same year it was signed by the President of the Russian Federation V.V. Putin. The law established the description of the National Flag and the procedure for its official use. In Art. 1st it is said: “The national flag of the Russian Federation is a rectangular panel of three equal horizontal stripes: the top one is white, the middle one is blue and the bottom one is red. The ratio of the width of the flag to its length is 2:3. In subsequent articles, the principles for the use of the State Flag are developed, which are constantly raised on the buildings of federal legislative and executive authorities, and on public holidays of the Russian Federation, the State Flag is hung on the buildings of local governments, public associations, enterprises, institutions, organizations, regardless of ownership, as well as residential buildings. Article 10 specifically emphasizes that the use of the State Flag in violation of the rules specified in the Federal Law, desecration of the flag leads to punishment in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation.

3. The meaning of the colors of the flag of Russia

Analyzing the literature and sources on state symbols, we can come to the conclusion that there is no consensus on why exactly these colors are present on the flag of our country: white, blue and red. Some sources say that the Russian tricolor originated from the Dutch model. In the 17th century Holland became one of the largest maritime powers. For the flags of their ships, the Dutch chose a combination of three colors - orange, white and blue. Orange was considered the dynastic color of Orange, who led the fight against Spain for the independence of Holland.

In our country, the orange color has been replaced by red, because. red color was considered a symbol of courage and courage. White color personified faith, the king and the Fatherland. In addition, he was considered free and open.

There is another version: the national flag of Russia confirms the traditional Russian idea of ​​the world, including the existence of matter, the human soul and spiritual being.

The arrangement of the stripes on the Russian flag coincides with the ancient understanding of the trinity of the dispensation of the world: the physical, carnal, material world - on the flag it is represented in red; above - the world of the human soul - blue; and even higher - the world of the Divine spirit, Heavenly purity.

There was also such an interpretation of the arrangement of colors on the Russian flag: red meant love, blue meant hope, white meant faith.

According to another version, red meant sovereignty, blue - the color of the Mother of God, under whose patronage Russia was, white - the color of freedom and independence.

There is another "sovereign" interpretation of the meanings of the colors of the flag, which means the unity of the three fraternal East Slavic peoples: white - the color of White Russia (Belarus), blue - Little Russia (Ukraine), red - Great Russia.

At present, the following interpretation of the meanings of the colors of the Russian flag is most often (unofficially) used: white means peace, purity, purity, perfection; blue - the color of faith and fidelity, constancy; red symbolizes energy, strength, blood shed for the Fatherland.

Conclusion

The flag is our national shrine. He is given the highest state honors, his dignity is subject to protection both within the country and abroad.

The national flag of the Russian Federation is constantly raised on the buildings of government and administration. It is hung out on public holidays and solemn ceremonies. Reet on the buildings of Russian diplomatic missions abroad. Develops on the masts of Russian ships. The tricolor image of the flag is applied to the aircraft of the Russian Federation and to its spacecraft. Every day it rises at the place of permanent residence of Russian military units, etc. In my native village of Vyazovoe, the Russian flag is raised on the building of the village administration, a separate fire and rescue station, as well as the building of the school where I study.

As a result of my research, I found out that the appearance of the white-blue-red flag is associated with the name of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich and not, as many believe, PeterI. The year of its appearance is 1688. During the reign of PeterIthe current arrangement of the stripes on the flag was established, and it became the flag of the merchant fleet. However, in pre-Petrine times, the tricolor was raised on the first Russian warship Oryol. Officially, the white-blue-red flag was approved as the state flag on the eve of the coronation of NicholasIIin 1896 In the Soviet period of history, the tricolor was canceled, and then revived again. The birthday of the current flag of the Russian Federation is August 22, 1991.

The colors of the Russian flag in certain eras had different meanings, but always reflected the best qualities of a person, the Russian people and everything that surrounds him.

The national flag is a part of Russian history, the embodiment of its heroic and tragic pages, a reflection of the life of the peoples of our country. And therefore, we all need to know the history of state symbols.

Bibliography

Degtyarev A.Ya. History of the Russian flag.-M., 2000

Pchelov E.V. State symbols of Russia: coat of arms, flag, anthem.-M., 2004

Constitution of the Russian Federation 1993

Soboleva N.A. Russian state symbols: history and modernity.-M.: 2003.

Federal State Law of December 25, 2005 "On the State Flag of the Russian Federation"