Saturday 26 July 2014

Union of North America

This idea came to me after I came across this picture of a rather interesting coin on the internet:
Its a proposed coin for a proposed economic and political union between Canada, Mexico and the United States. The concept is a utopia to some, and the worst night mare of others in all three countries, but it has been an idea disused and debated by academics for a century, and is often a nation in science fiction, and games, not to mention conspiracy theories. So what might the flag of this super state be?
Well as this new country would be very multi-cultural I used a South Africa style flag:
It features the colours; red, white, blue and green taken from the flags of the three nations. It has three stars in the hoist representing Canada, Mexico and the USA. The 'Y' is joined by a seal based upon the above coin, with a map of North America and three stars. This flag was perhaps the product of too much creativity and is perhaps more of a potential Sci-Fi flag rather than any real proposal.
Another fiction proposal but slightly more practical is this one:
This is a more conventional tricolour based flag, but still has the map but in the centre of a gear cog, because it looks kind of cool, and strikes me as a sort of logo you might get in a game?
But perhaps more practical still is just to use three stars:
I think this is the most practical design when compared with other proposals.
As an after thought I designed a few national coat of arms ideas. The first  combines the arms of the three nations (Canada, USA, Mexico):

The shield features the fifty stars of the USA in the first quarter. Mexican emblem in the second and third, and the thirteen American stripes in the fourth. Canadian maple leafs in the bottom. The supporters an eagle and lion. An eagle (although not necessarily the same species) are on both Mexican and US arms, while the lion comes from Canada. The flags represent the colonists who founded Mexico, USA and Canada. The lion has a Cross of Burgundy that was used throughout the Spanish Empire including Spanish America, and is what the flags of Alabama and Florida in the US is based on. 
The eagle holds a Pre 1800 British red ensign, the flag the Continental Colours (regarded as the first US flag) is thought to have been derived from, and the flag that formed the basis of the Canadian flag until 1965.  The motto is both the mottoes of the USA (In God we trust) and Canada (A Mari Usque ad Mare). Mexico has no national motto. 
The crest features a Sun and Cactus (an Aztec symbol) and eagle feathers resembling a dream catcher. This represents the native communities. 
Or re arranged slightly with a seal type crest. I like this version better better:
But perhaps the simplest designs are always the better ones:
Feel free to comment :)


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