Argentina's First Flag Day

The Argentine flag was hoisted for the first time on February 27, 1812 on the banks of the Paraná River by General Manuel Belgrano.

It is that same day that the Triumvirate decided to put Belgrano in charge of the Army of the North, at the same time that the General informed the Government about the fact of swearing the light blue and white colors that he had carried out with those who were now his troops in charge. Apparently the flag at first would have two stripes, a white upper one and a light blue lower one, similar to the one General San Martin would use with his army. Another detail to note is that Rivadavia ordered not to use this new creation, to continue with the Spanish flag as identification, but General Belgrano would not acknowledge receipt of this notice until mid-year, where by that time even the Triumvirate itself had intimidated him to which Belgrano responded affirmatively, but with much pain that he would obey the order, but the following year he would comment to use the 3 stripes light blue, white and light blue, being this attributed to the colors of the House of Bourbon, which with Ferdinand VII of Bourbon headed the Spanish Crown at that time.

On July 20, 1816, the Congress officially adopted the flag designed by Belgrano as the national symbol. In 1918 a sun was added over the white stripe to be used in case of war. In 1938, June 20 was declared Flag Day and a national holiday, in honor of its creator, who died on June 20, 1820.