Black, yellow, and red have been the colors of Belgium since the late 1700s. When Belgium became an independent kingdom in 1830 (becoming independent from the Netherlands), it adopted a flag with horizontal bands of black, yellow, and red. In 1831, Belgium adopted a variant on the French tricolor, which stood for freedom and revolution.

1. What colors are in the flag of Belgium?____________________________

2. When was this flag officially adopted? ____________________________

3. Is this flag a horizontal or a vertical tricolor? ____________________________

4. In what year did Belgium become an independent kingdom? ____________________________________