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1) The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
The emblem of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the combination of the symbols of the four parts of the country. The State Emblem of Britain shows the union of its four parts: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The emblem was introduced after the union with Scotland in 1603. The shield of the emblem is divided into four parts. There are emblems of England (three lions on a red background), the emblem of Scotland (a red lion on a yellow background) and the emblem of Northern Ireland (a yellow harp on a blue background).
The two emblems of English lions symbolize the leading role of England in this union. The shield is supported by two mythic animals: the English lion and the Scottish unicorn. The emblem is headed with a crowned lion, the symbol of power and might. Below the emblem there are floristic symbols of the four parts of the country.
The emblem reflects the spirit of the nation and the relations between its parts. The leading role of the animals belongs to the lion and so to the largest historic part of England. Scotland was never under the English control. That is why the Scottish unicorn occupies one of the leading parts of the emblem. Since 1300, Wales was under English control, so the Welsh dragon is not represented on the shield of the emblem and we can see only the floristic symbols of this part — a leek.
1) The United States of America
The symbol of the country is the bald-headed eagle with its wings spread on a white background. Five thousand years ago the original Americans chose the eagle as the emblem to symbolize their power. The bald eagle owes its name to the early American colonists but it isn’t really bald. It is white-headed. This bird lives only in the USA and Canada. In 1782, Congress selected the bald eagle as the emblem of the newly-formed state to show the courage and might of the country.
2) The Russian Federation The Russian National Emblem is the golden double-headed eagle with a horseman (St George) on a shield on the eagle’s breast with и red background. Above the two heads of the eagle there is a historical crown. The first emblem of the double-headed eagle was introduced in 1480 by Prince Ivan III. It was at the time of establishment of the Russian state system and the emblem which symbolized the supreme power and sovereignty of the state. Since then, the double-headed eagle has been the main part of the emblem of our country. But now the crown is a symbol of the sovereignty both of the Russian Federation (as a whole) and of its parts (subjects of the Federation). I he state emblem shows our patron saint, St George, who helped our country at times of war. The state emblem appeared in Russia in 1480. It is the oldest state emblem in history and contributes to our country’s traditions.
