Weeping Vexiollogists II: Re-finishing Flags Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Turn an African flag into an Asian flag (using a key feature from another flag from Asia) to make a new Asian country's flag. a) Remove the green pentagram from the flag of Morocco (pictured) b) Take the largest star from the China flag and place it where the pentagram was c) Make the star a little bigger Which Asian country does the new flag represent?

Answer: Vietnam

The flag of Morocco first appeared in 1915. When the country was under Spanish and French rule, its use was limited and even prohibited at sea. In 1955 when independence was granted it became the national flag again. The red field of the Moroccan flag represents "hardiness, bravery, strength and valour", while the green of the pentagram represents love, joy, and hope, and the colour of Islam. The five-pointed star represents the seal of Solomon.

The flag of Vietnam was first used in 1940 in the French uprising in Vietnam. It was used to protest against the Japanese occupation in 1941 and became the national flag on independence in 1945. It became the flag of North Vietnam when the country was divided and remained the national flag when unified in 1976. The star represents the five main classes in Vietnamese society: intellectuals; farmers; workers; businessmen and military.

2. Take a small European country's flag and turn it into another small European country's flag. a) Take the flag of Denmark (pictured), using a vertical cut on the right hand side to make the cross symmetrical b) Shorten the length of both the arms of the cross so they do not touch the edges of the flag c) "Fatten" the arms of the cross a little The flag of which country is now represented?

Answer: Switzerland

The Dannebrog, the Danish flag is one of the oldest national flags still in use today. The white-on-red cross emblem can be traced back to the Crusades in the 12th century. The cross evokes Christianity.

The Swiss red flag with a white bold, equilateral cross in the centre can be traced back as a mark of identification of the combined troops of the Old Swiss Confederacy in the Battle of Laupen of 1339. The cross like the cross in the Danish flag, evokes Christianity.

3. Take the pictured flag of Palau and make TWO other Asian countries' flags. a) Change the circle to red b) Change the field to green. This is Flag 1 c) Change the field to white. d) Nudge the circle to the right until it is centrally located - This is Flag 2 Identify the countries represented by Flags 1 and 2.

Answer: Bangladesh and Japan

Blue is the colour used to represent the sea and Palau's place within it. The blue colour of the field is the same as the blue in the Federated States of Micronesia's flag. Palau separated from this country is 1981 and became a republic. Unlike the flags of Bangladesh and Japan, the disc represents the moon instead of the sun.

In the Bangladeshi flag, the disc also stands for the blood shed in attaining independence. The green field stands for the "lushness of the land of Bangladesh".

The Japanese flag is officially called Nisshōki or "sun-mark flag" but domestically, it is more frequently known as Hinomaru or "circle of the sun". The role of the sun is important in Japanese folklore. The first emperor is supposedly descended from a sun-goddess.

4. Take the pictured flag of a European nation and turn it into a nearby country's flag. a) Rotate the flag of Italy 90 degrees to the right b) Stretch it out a bit to assume a proportional shape c) Swap the positions of the white and green horizontal stripes What is the country represented by the new flag?

Answer: Bulgaria

"Il Tricolore", the flag of Italy consists of three equal sized vertical bands of green, white and red with the green closest to the hoist. There are different interpretations of the meaning of the colours with one version holding that the green representing the countryside, the white the mountains and the red the blood spilt during the unification of the country. Another more spiritual version holds that the green symbolises hope, the white faith and the red charity.

The Bulgarian flag is a tricolour of equal sized horizontal bands of white, green and red running from the top of the flag to the bottom. The white and red are taken from the Pan-Slavic colours while the green replaces the blue from the Russian flag. The green is said to represent freedom and tranquility, the red power and fearlessness while the white represents peace and and honesty.

5. Take the pictured Asian island country's flag and make TWO Oceania countries' flags. a) Remove the sun symbol from the canton of the Taiwanese flag b) Add the five star constellation from the Australian flag - This is Flag 1 c) Remove the stars and change the field of the canton from blue to white d) Remove the cross from the Swiss flag, change it from white to red e) Place the cross centrally in the canton. Change the shape so the arms do not touch the edges of the canton. This is Flag 2 Identify the countries represented by the two flags

Answer: Samoa and Tonga

The flag can be traced back to mainland China in 1895. It is described as "Blue Sky, White Sun, and a Wholly Red Earth" to reflect its attributes. The twelve rays of the white sun symbolize the twelve months and the twelve traditional shichen which is a Chinese time unit which corresponds to approximately two hours. The "Red earth" symbolism is for spilled blood of the revolutionaries.

The flag of Tonga was adopted in 1875 after being officially prescribed the Tonga's constitution, which stipulates that the "national flag can never be changed". The red cross represents Christianity, The white purity, and the red represents the "sacrifice of the Blood of Christ".

The flag of Samoa was adopted in 1949 with the only difference being the Southern Cross was initially represented as four stars. The reds stand for courage; white, purity; and blue, freedom.

6. Take the flag of a tropical island nation and turn it into a much colder European nation's flag. a) From the Bahamas' flag remove the black triangle b) Take the vertical arm of the cross of the Danish flag (pictured above) and make it the same yellow as the middle stripe of the Bahamas' flag d) Place the now yellow vertical arm in exactly the same position on this flag as it was on the Danish flag c) Adjust the bands of the three horizontal stripes so the yellow stripe is the same width as the vertical arm d) Make the top and bottom stripes a few shades bluer What flag is thus represented?

Answer: Sweden

The flag of Bahamas consists of a black triangle at the hoist with three horizontal bands of aquamarine, gold and aquamarine all of which have cultural and political meanings. The yellow or gold references the golden sands of the country and the shining sun. The aquamarine symbolises the sea which surrounds the country. Black is to symbolise the "strength vigour and force" of the Bahamian people while the triangle shape is to represent their "enterprise and determination" to use and develop their resources.

Sweden - the flag is a yellow or gold Nordic cross on a field of blue. The yellow/gold represents generosity which the blue symbolises loyalty, truth and justice. The Nordic cross is traditionally a symbol of Christianity and is said to have come from Eric the Holy, a Swedish king, who saw a gold cross in the sky.

7. Take the flag of another tropical island nation and turn it into another much colder European nation's flag AND a hot African nation. a) Take the flag of St Vincent and The Grenadines and remove the three diamonds b) Change the green vertical stripe to red c) Adjust the three vertical bands so they are equal width Which two countries' flags are now represented?

Answer: Romania and Chad

The Saint Vincent and The Grenadines' flag is unique - The three diamonds in the shape of a "V" represents te islands as the "Gems of the Antilles". Blue represents the colour of the tropical sky and surrounding sea, yellow the sands of The Grenadines and green the lush vegetation of the islands.

The colors of the flag of Romania date back to the late 16th century: Red, yellow and blue were the colours royal grants of Michael the Brave. In 1821, meanings were attributed to the colours: "Liberty (sky-blue), Justice (field yellow), Fraternity (blood red)".

The similarity with Chad's flag, differs only in the blue, which is indigo in Romania's flag, but cobalt in Chad's.

Chad's flag is a combination of the colours of the French Tricolore with the Pan-African colours of green, yellow and red. The blue also represents the sky and hope; the gold the sun and desert, and the red signifies the bloodshed spilled to achieve independence.

8. Take the flag of a small African nation and turn it into the flag of a small Central American country. a) Take the green and red bands of The Gambia's flag and make them the same blue as the central band b) Change the blue band into the red colour of the original uppermost band c) Widen the white bands (at the expense of the blue bands) so the white bands are the same width as the blue bands d) Widen the central red band until it is twice as wide as the four other bands What flag is now being shown?

Answer: Costa Rica

Gambia - three horizontal red, blue and white bands separated by two thin white lines. The blue represents the Gambia River which is the country's most noticeable feature and after which it is named. The red's symbolism is twofold - one is the sun acknowledging the country's position on the equator and seconds the savannah grasslands of the country. The green represents both the forests and the agriculture on which the country is dependent. The two thin white stripes are symbols of unity and peace.

Costa Rica - the flag is five horizontal bands of blue white red (double width) white and blue. The colours are derived from the French flag and are designed to represent the ideals of the French revolution - freedom, equality and brotherhood. The blue represents the sky, opportunities for all, perseverance and idealism. White symbolises peace, wisdom, happiness and liberty while the red represents both the blood spilt by its citizens in the country's defence as well as the warmth and generosity of its people.

9. Turn a African nation's flag into a European nation's flag where the African country is four times as large with a quarter of the population. a) Remove the three golden central symbols of Angola's flag b) Swap the positions of the red and black bands c) Add a gold stripe to the bottom of the red band d) Adjust the three bands so they are all the same width Which country's flag is now shown?

Answer: Germany

Both Angola's and Germany's flags feature the three colors, red, black and yellow (gold). The Angolan flag was introduced after independence (from Portugal) in 1975. The black represents Africa, and the red is for the blood shed during the struggle for independence. There are three yellow symbols on the flag: a half gear-ring representing industrial workers, a machete for the peasant class and a star representing socialism.

The three horizontal bands of color on the German flag originated during the Weimar republic after World War I, but these national colors date back to medieval times. The three colors represented the democratic, centrist and republican political groups.

10. Turn a land locked African nation's flag into an African island nation's flag. a) Remove the yellow star from the flag of the Central African Republic b) Take the red vertical bar and lay it over the white stripe. Stretch it out a bit to cover all the white stripe c) Swap the positions of the green and yellow stripes d) Swap the positions of the blue and red stripes Name the African island country represented by this new flag?

Answer: Mauritius

Central African Republic - The flag consists of four horizontal stripes and one vertical stripe with one five pointed yellow star in the upper left hand corner. The four horizontal stripes represent both thee country's colonial past in the red, white and blue of the French Tricolore and the solidarity with other African nations in the Pan-African colours of red, green and yellow. The single vertical red stripe represents the blood of humanity and indicates the respect that both Europeans and Africans should have for each other. The single yellow star is a symbol of African unity and represents independence.

The flag of Mauritius is known as "Les Quatre Bandes" (the four bands) and consists of four horizontal bands of equal width with the following colour pattern in order from top to bottom - red, blue, yellow, and green. The symbolism of the colours is red to represent the struggle for freedom and independence, blue to represent the Indian Ocean which surrounds Mauritius, yellow to show the brightness of the future and the new light of independence and green to represent the country's agriculture.

Source: Author 1nn1

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor stedman before going online.
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(Very TOUGH quiz ahead). This time we are RE-constructing flags. Subtract or add details from one or more national flags (ignoring dimensions), to make a different country's flag. Colouring pencils, paper & a flag book may help!

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Weeping Vexiollogists II: Re-finishing Flags Quiz

(Very *TOUGH* quiz ahead). This time we are RE-constructing flags. Subtract or add details from one or more national flags (ignoring dimensions), to make a different country's flag. Colouring pencils, paper & a flag book may help!

(Very TOUGH quiz ahead). This time we are RE-constructing flags. Subtract or add details from one or more national flags (ignoring dimensions), to make a different country's flag. Colouring pencils, paper & a flag book may help!