British Red Ensign or Meteor Flag
Early in the 17th century, it became customary for ships in the Royal Navy to fly a small banner on the bow. This was called the Jack and, in the beginning, it was a small edition of the earlier British Union Flag.
The Act of Union united Scotland and England into Great Britain in 1707. That year, a proclamation from Queen Anne combining the English Cross of Saint George with the Scottish Cross of Saint Andrew created the Union Flag. This proclamation also made it quite clear the British Flag belonged to the monarch. Any ship flying the Queen’s colors without the Queen’s permission could be seized. Merchant ships were ordered to fly a red flag with the Union in the upper corner. This Red Ensign became a flag of the British Empire in the 18th century.
For a century and a half, the American Colonies shared Britain's flags: the British Union flag and the red Meteor banners, which were familiar sights in all their coastal harbors and flown by ships, and it was the official flag of the Colony of Massachusetts. This flag is also known as the Queen Anne flag.
