View source for Six flags over Texas

{{Short description|Colloquial phrase referencing Texas}}
{{about|the slogan|the theme park|Six Flags Over Texas}}
{{Use American English|date=May 2025}}
[[File:Six Flags over Texas Emblems under State Capitol Dome.jpg|thumb|right|Six coats of arms displayed under the Texas State Capitol Dome (from left to right: Spanish, French, Mexican, Republic of Texas, Confederate States, and United States)]]
[[File:Six historical flags over texas.jpg|thumb|Six different national flags that have flown over Texas]]
"'''Six flags over Texas'''" is the [[slogan]] used to describe the six [[Sovereign state|sovereign countries]] that have had control over some or all of the current territory of the [[U.S. state]] of [[Texas]]: [[Spanish Empire|Spain]] (1519–1685; 1690–1821), [[Kingdom of France|France]] (1685–1690), [[First Mexican Republic|Mexico]] (1821–1836), the [[Republic of Texas]] (1836–1845), the [[United States]] (1845–1861; 1865–present), and the [[Confederate States of America|Confederate States]] (1861–1865).<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ref/abouttx/sixflags.html | title=Six Flags of Texas | publisher=Texas State Library and Archives Commission | accessdate=September 29, 2013 | archive-date=November 18, 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131118151807/https://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ref/abouttx/sixflags.html | url-status=live }}</ref>

This slogan has been incorporated into shopping malls, theme parks ([[Six Flags]], including the flagship park, [[Six Flags Over Texas]], in [[Arlington, Texas|Arlington]]), and other enterprises. The six flags fly in front of the [[welcome center|state welcome center]]s on the state's borders with [[Arkansas]], [[Louisiana]], [[New Mexico]], [[Mexico]], and [[Oklahoma]]. In Austin, the six flags fly in front of the [[Bullock Texas State History Museum]]; the [[Texas State Capitol]] has the six coats of arms on its northern façade, and [[the University of Texas at Austin]] Life Sciences Library, previously the location of the central library in the [[Main Building (University of Texas at Austin)|Main Building]], has each coat of arms displayed in plaster emblems with short excerpts representative of the constitutions of each country. The six flags are also shown on the reverse of the [[Seal of Texas]].

In 1997, the [[Texas Historical Commission]] adopted standard designs for representing the six flags.<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth176676/m1/89/ |date=June 20, 1997 |journal=Texas Register |volume=22 |pages=5959–67 |title=Recommended Historic Designs: The "Six Flags Over Texas" |author=Texas Historical Commission |publisher=[[Texas Secretary of State]] |access-date=July 21, 2016 |archive-date=August 3, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190803133300/https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth176676/m1/89/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

While six flags are universally accepted throughout the state, some controversy exists regarding a potential seventh: [[Republic of the Rio Grande|The Republic of the Rio Grande]]. Ultimately, the former nation is not included, but certain local governments such as the city of [[Laredo, Texas|Laredo]] (which served as its capital city) hold it as a prominent member of the array.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.texasstandard.org/stories/in-laredo-its-seven-flags-over-texas/|title=In Laredo, It's Seven Flags Over Texas|publisher=Texas Standard|access-date=2020-12-31|archive-date=2021-09-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210927095535/https://www.texasstandard.org/stories/in-laredo-its-seven-flags-over-texas/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.texascooppower.com/texas-stories/history/seven-flags-over-texas|title=Seven Flags Over Texas?|publisher=TexasCoopPower|access-date=2020-12-31|archive-date=2020-06-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200616004911/https://www.texascooppower.com/texas-stories/history/seven-flags-over-texas|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.caller.com/amp/927221001|title=Tejano Talks No. 33: The Seventh Flag over Texas — The Republic of the Rio Grande|publisher=Caller Times}}</ref> The reason why it is not considered one of the original "six flags" in the Texas set is because both the Republic of Texas and the Republic of the Rio Grande claimed part of the same territory in 1840.<ref>texasstandard.org. [https://www.texasstandard.org/stories/in-laredo-its-seven-flags-over-texas/ «In Laredo, It’s Seven Flags Over Texas»] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210927095535/https://www.texasstandard.org/stories/in-laredo-its-seven-flags-over-texas/ |date=2021-09-27 }}. Consultado el 7 de febrero de 2019.</ref>

In 2017, the Six Flags Over Texas theme park stopped flying the Confederate flag, part of a larger trend of [[Removal of Confederate monuments and memorials|removing public symbols]] of the slavery-supporting secessionists.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gallagher |first=Danny |title=Six Flags Over Texas Lowers One of Its Flags: The First Flag of the Confederacy |url=https://www.dallasobserver.com/arts/six-flags-in-arlington-no-longer-flying-confederate-flag-9787599 |access-date=2024-07-17 |website=Dallas Observer |language=en |archive-date=2022-12-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221201024833/http://www.dallasobserver.com/arts/six-flags-in-arlington-no-longer-flying-confederate-flag-9787599 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Spain (1519 to 1685; 1690 to 1821)==
{{Main article|Flag of Spain|Flag of Castile and León}}
<div style="float: left;padding:5px">[[image:Royal Banner of the Crown of Castille (Habsburg Style).svg|border|100px]]</div>
<div style="float: left;padding:5px">[[image:Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg|border|100px]]</div>
<div style="float: left;padding:5px">[[File:Flag of Spain (1785-1873 and 1875-1931).svg|border|100px]]</div>

The first flag belonged to [[Spain]], which ruled most of Texas from 1519 to 1685 and 1690 to 1821. Three [[Flag of Spain|Spanish flags]] were used during this period: the "castle and lion" arms of the [[Crown of Castile]] (see [[Flag of Castile and León]]); the [[Cross of Burgundy]], a military and maritime flag also used by the viceroys of [[New Spain]]; and the ''Rojigualda'' introduced by [[Charles III of Spain|King Charles III]] in 1785, containing horizontal stripes of red-gold-red and the simple arms of Castile and León.  This third flag has been used by Spain in various forms to the present day, and is the flag used in the reverse of the [[Seal of Texas]] and adopted by the [[Texas Historical Commission]].<ref name="6Flags">{{Cite web |url=http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ref/abouttx/sixflags.html |title=Texas State Library – Six Flags of Texas |access-date=2005-07-29 |archive-date=2013-11-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131118151807/https://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ref/abouttx/sixflags.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="6Flags2">{{Cite web|url=http://www.lsjunction.com/facts/6flags.htm|title=A Texas Scrapbook: San Antonio's Military Plaza|website=www.lsjunction.com|access-date=2008-03-26|archive-date=2020-02-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200218101333/http://www.lsjunction.com/facts/6flags.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>
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==France (1684 to 1690 for Fort Saint Louis and 1800 to 1803 as French Louisiana)==
{{Main article|Bourbon royal standard}}
<div style="float: left;padding:5px">[[image:Pavillon royal de France.svg|border|100px]]</div>

The second flag was the royal banner of the [[Kingdom of France]] from 1684 to 1690.  In 1684, French nobleman [[René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle]], founded a colony on the [[Gulf Coast of the United States|Texas Gulf Coast]] called [[Fort Saint Louis (Texas)|Fort Saint Louis]]. The colony was unsuccessful, and after La Salle's murder, was soon abandoned. During this time, no official [[Flag of France|French flag]] existed, so a number of designs are used in displays of the "six flags".<ref name="6Flags" /><ref name="6Flags2"; />
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Later on in 1800, Spain ceded Louisiana to France under the [[Third Treaty of San Ildefonso]]. French Louisiana included northern sections of Texas. It remained in the hands of France until 1803, when France [[The Louisiana Purchase|sold the Louisiana Territory to the United States]]. However, what was later  northern Texas was sold back to Spain years later.

==Mexico (1821 to 1835)==
{{Main article|Flag of Mexico}}
<div style="float: left;padding:5px">
[[File:First flag of the Mexican Empire.svg|border|87px]]</div> 
<div style="float: left;padding:5px">[[File:Bandera de Iturbide.png|border|87px]]</div>
<div style="float: left;padding:5px">[[File:Bandera Histórica de la República Mexicana (1824-1918).svg|border|100px]]</div>
The third flag flown (1821 through 1836) was the [[flag of Mexico]]. [[Mexican Independence|Mexico's independence]] was recognized by Spain in September 1821. The Mexican flag displayed in the [[Austin, Texas|Austin]] Capitol is that of the Mexican Republic of 1823 through 1864.

This flag was in use in Texas [[Texas Declaration of Independence|until its independence]] from Mexico in 1836.<ref name="6Flags" />

==Republic of Texas (1836 to 1845 as the Republic of Texas; since 1845 as the State of Texas)==
{{Main article|Flag of Texas}}
<div style="float: left;padding:5px">[[File:Flag of the Republic of Texas (1836–1839).svg|border|100px]]</div>
<div style="float: left;padding:5px">[[File:Flag of Texas.svg|border|100px]]</div>

The fourth flag belonged to the [[Republic of Texas]] from 1836 to 1845.  The Republic had two national flags during its history, the first being the so-called "[[Flag of Texas#The Burnet Flag|Burnet Flag]]". The "[[Flag of Texas|Lone Star Flag]]", the final [[national flag]], became the [[federated state|state]] flag when Texas joined the United States as a [[U.S. state]] in 1845.<ref name="6Flags2" />
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==United States (1845 to 1861; 1865 to present)==
{{Main article|Flag of the United States}}
<div style="float: left;padding:5px">[[File:Flag of the United States (1846-1847).svg|border|100px]]</div>
<div style="float: left;padding:5px">[[File:Flag of the United States.svg|border|100px]]</div>

The fifth and current flag is that of the [[United States]], which Texas joined in 1845. Upon [[Ordinance of Secession|secession]], Texas abandoned this flag for its sixth, until readmission to the Union in 1865.<ref name="6Flags2" />
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==Confederate States (1861 to 1865)==
{{Main article|Flags of the Confederate States of America}}
<div style="float: left;padding:5px">[[File:Flag of the Confederate States of America (July 1861 – November 1861).svg|border|120px]]</div>
<div style="float: left;padding:5px">[[File:Flag of the Confederate States of America (1863–1865).svg|border|133px]]</div>
<div style="float: left;padding:5px">[[File:Flag of the Confederate States of America (1865).svg|border|100px]]</div>

The sixth flag belonged to the [[Confederate States of America|Confederate States]] from 1861 to 1865. During this time, the Confederate States had [[Flags of the Confederate States of America|three national flags]].<ref name="6Flags" /><ref name="6Flags2" />
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==Gallery==
<gallery mode="packed">
File:Six Flags of Texas.jpg|Display of the Six Flags in [[Austin, Texas]]
</gallery>

==See also==
{{Portal|Texas}}
* [[History of Texas]]
* [[Flag of Laredo, Texas]]
* [[Flag of the Republic of the Rio Grande]]
* [[Flag of Texas#The Burnet Flag|Burnet Flag]]

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
*{{Handbook of Texas|id=msf01|name=Flags of Texas}}
*[http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ref/abouttx/sixflags.html Six Flags of Texas]

{{Six flags of Texas}}
{{Texas History Navbox}}
{{Texas}}

[[Category:Flags of Texas]]
[[Category:Slogans]]
[[Category:Flags of the Confederate States of America]]