How did the Puerto Rican flag come about?

The Puerto Rican flag has a long and complex history. The first known flag representing Puerto Rico was the "Revolutionary Flag of Lares," which was used during the short-lived 1868 rebellion against Spanish rule known as the "Grito de Lares." This flag, which featured a white star on a blue field with a red triangle, was designed by one of the leaders of the rebellion, Manuel Rojas.

After the Spanish-American War of 1898, Puerto Rico became a territory of the United States. The flag that was used during the war was known as the "Puerto Rican Revolutionary Committee Flag" it was designed by Mariana Bracetti it was a blue field with a white star, and a red triangle, with a white cross in the center of the star.

In 1952, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico adopted a new flag, which features five equal horizontal bands of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bears a large, white, five-pointed star in the center, which gives the flag the popular name "La Estrella Solitaria" (The Lone Star) and a smaller red triangle is based on the top hoist-side corner.

The flag is said to symbolize the Taíno heritage of Puerto Rico and the blood shed for freedom, the blue triangle represents the sky and the coastal waters, white symbolizes the victory of the republic and the red symbolizes the blood shed by the heroes of the island.

The flag of Puerto Rico is also known as "La Borinqueña" it is a symbol of the island's identity and autonomy, and is widely used and respected among the Puerto Rican people.