Truth in flag-waving

While we narrowly avoided a constitutional crisis, I want to focus on something more important: Did the state of Texas steal the idea for its flag from North Carolina, as someone close to me has long maintained?

No, no, no. Even though North Carolina is the older state, it didn't have an official flag until it seceded from the Union in 1861. The first one looked like this:



After the war, the red and blue were reversed and the bottom date changed (naturally).



Now, why did they switch the colors? It's hard to avoid the obvious conclusion: to get even closer to Texas. Look: They shrank the star and stuck "NC" on there so people would know it wasn't Texas.



The official flag of the Republic of Texas was approved in 1839. (Luckily this design won out over the two alternatives--both a little busy, don't you think?)

UPDATE: The Senate vote on the flag amendment, by astrological sign.