Mexican flag (textile)

The Mexican flag, created in 1821 when the Independence Movement ended victoriously, is full of national symbolism. According to legend, the gods had advised the Aztecs that the place where they should establish their city would be identified when they saw an eagle, perched on a prickly pear tree, devouring a serpent. They saw this mythical eagle on a marshy lake that is now the main plaza in Mexico City. The emblem-shield symbolizes this legend; the green stripe, the Independence Movement; the white stripe, the purity of the Catholic faith; the red stripe, the Spaniards that joined in the quest for Independence and the blood of the national heroes. This flag is believed to have been lowered from the statehouse in Victoria, Mexico by the Baltimore and Washington Battalion of U.S. Volunteers during the War with Mexico.