Stars and Bars

• The first rebel flag was adopted on March 4, 1861. The flag was called the Stars and Bars, and consisted of a circle of white stars against a blue background in the upper left hand corner, and three lateral bars of white and red.
  
  

Confusion

• The Stars and Bars rebel flag was too similar to the U.S. flag used by the Northern states, which also consisted of stars and lateral bars. The CSA stopped using this flag on the battlefield for this reason.
  
  

Battle Flag

• The rebel flag that is most recognizable today in popular culture is called the Confederate battle flag. It consists of a large blue X-shaped bar containing stars against a red background.
  
  

Battle Flag Becomes Official

• Although the Stars and Bars flag was not carried into battle, the flag remained the official flag of the CSA until May 1863, when the battle flag was adopted in its place.
  
  

State Rebel Flags

• Elements of the battle flag of the CSA were adopted after the Civil War into the flags of many Southern states, including Georgia and Mississippi. The use of these symbols today remains controversial.