To not know until today that the union jack is a merge of the English and Scottish flags

[Notalone]

I am very very very stupid yes? . I just never really thought about it but now feel incredibly dim

.

Were you not taught that at school? I wouldn't say you were stupid though, it's probably just not something you've given much thought to before .

Yesssss!!

For once I can be smug and say I knew that

dumbass

Youll get morw of a kicking when the welsh come along < passes hard hat>

sometime thing just go over peoples heads when they are very logical.

No. I did learn about Arctic Tundras, the life cycles of spiders and the baka tribes though To make it worse DS age 10 just told me and looked scathing when he realised I didn't know

It's made up of the flags of St George, St Andrew and St Patrick. So, England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Notice which country of the UK is not represented on there?

it's also technically only called the 'jack' at sea. At other times it should be referred to a s the union flag.

But unless you were taught it how would you know? So not stupid, just, er, uninformed.

actually it's made up of 3 flags.
st george (england)- white with red cross
st andrew (scotland) blue with white diagonal cross
st patrick (northern ireland) white with red diagonal

poor old Wales got left out

and yes, only the Union Jack at sea

I didn't know until this year that St George was a Roman soldier from Palestine!

Isn't wales missing because it was conquered, where as Northern Ireland and Scotland made treaties?

I learned that in the Brownies at the age of 7 .

However I was also taught that it included the cross of St Patrick too

thisisyeasterday is right, its only union jack at sea, on land i think its called the union flag!

Unfortunately yes, chunky that is true.

Ahh.. if wikipedia is to be believed it wasn't even treaties - just old fashioned inheritance:
In 1603, James VI of Scotland inherited the English and Irish thrones (as James I), thereby uniting the crowns of England, Scotland and Ireland in a personal union (which remained separate states)

Wales had no explicit recognition in the Union Flag as it had been a part of the Kingdom of England since being annexed by Edward I of England in 1282 and its full integration by the Laws in Wales Acts 1535?1542, and was therefore represented by the flag of England.[15]

Am quite surprised that you didn't learn it at school, that's for sure (and yes to all the other flag info as well) - but it doesn't make you stupid. Just uninformed.

Bet you're glad you know it now though...

susie I said it first!!!

Poor Wales! Why were they left out? Anyone know?

Wales got left out because they're not a proper country.

But... wasn't Ireland conquered as well? I can remember something about Henry II giving Ireland to his youngest son (King John) as a consolation prize for not getting Normandy, England or Aquitaine. Although I can remember lots of revolts too, in most of which the Anglo-Normans behaved dreadfully, although I think some of the Irish chieftains were pretty appalling as well. Lots of massacres, laying waste of the countryside, children starving to death etc. Right up til Cromwell's time. Did the St Patrick's cross get put in as Irish revolts had happened in living memory whereas the Welsh hadn't done it since 14-something?

Fingers crossed the Scotland part shall be gone in 2014. Saor Alba!

Perhaps we need to plaster a dragon,leek or daffodil on the front of the UJ for our welsh contingent!!

Am English living in Wales and love it here. Loveliest place I have ever lived.

Wales was invaded in the 12th century! Well before the Union of Scotland and England.

It also had some of the fairest laws with regards women owning land and property until then as well.

Thanks guys - have learnt a lot from this thread