Mexican Flags of Independence
1.
Virgin of Guadalupe , 1810: 
Father Miguel Hidalgo & Costilla, a priest
who is credited with beginning the Mexican revolution for independence
on September 16, 1810 with his declaration called the Grito
de Delores. His followers rallied behind a simple
church banner with the Virgin of Guadalupe image. The image
reminded Father Hidalgo’s followers of the important role
their ancestors had played in their country’s history.
[Angel with wings of green, white and red was part of the image]
Within a year the rally was put down. <1>
2.
Flag of the Three Guarantees’, 1821:
Augustin de Iturbide negotiated the Plan
de Iguala with rebel Vincente Guerrero on February 24, 1821 for
Mexico to become a “Constitutional Monarchy.”
Iturbide offered a new flag that embodied the tenets of
the Three Guarantees (1. Primacy of the Catholic Church,
2. Independence and 3. Equality of Gachupines and native-born
Mexicans). The flag was designed by Jose Ocampo, a tailor.
It was a square flag with three diagonal bars of red, green
& white. This was changed in November 1821 to three
vertical bars rearranged to green, white & red. “A
crowned eagle with open wings perching on a cactus replaced the
crown.” Iturbide was crowned emperor of Mexico on
July 21, 1822 and shortly afterwards disbanded the congress. <2>
3.
National Flag April 1823: Antonio Lopez de Santa
Anna led the revolt that overthrew Iturbide early in 1823 (Plan
of Casa Mata) and Mexico became a Republic. “To represent
the republic, the imperial crown was removed from the eagle, and
the figure of a snake was added. As the traditional symbols
of strength and victory, branches of laurel and oak now wreathed
the base of the cactus.” Note the Eagle has outspread wings.
In 1916 the eagle symbol was changed to the “Aztec Eagle”
which has its wings held close and the eagle in profile and is
the image in use today. <3>
Footnotes:
<1> Mayberry, p. 4
<2> ibid, p. 6
<3> ibid, p. 7, 8, 167n.20
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