Cuba

Known as the “Bandera de la Estrella Solitaria,” the Cuban flag was designed in 1849 by Miguel Teurbe Tolón at the urging of Narciso López. It was first flown in 1850 during López’s failed uprisings and was formally adopted on 20 May 1902 when Cuba attained independence; its specifications were refined in 1906. The three blue stripes represent the island’s three military departments, the two white stripes symbolize the purity of the patriot cause, the red triangle stands for strength and constancy and also reflects Masonic ideals of equality, fraternity, and liberty, and the white star signifies Cuba’s aspiration for independence.