1.
Glossary of vexillology
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Flag terminology is the nomenclature, or system of terms, used in vexillology, the study of flags, to describe precisely the parts, patterns, and other attributes of flags and their display. Badge A coat of arms or simple heraldic symbol, canton Any quarter of a flag, but commonly means the upper hoist quarter, such as the field of stars in the flag of the United States or the Union Jack in the Australian Flag. Charge A figure or symbol appearing in the field of a flag, emblem A device often used as a charge on a flag. It may be heraldic in origin or modern, for example the maple leaf on the Canadian Flag, field The background of a flag, the color behind the charges. Fimbriation A narrow edging or border, often in white or gold, for example the white and gold lines of the South African Flag. Fly The half or edge of a flag farthest away from the flagpole and this term also sometimes refers to the horizontal length of a flag. Hoist The half or edge of a flag nearest to the flagpole and this term also sometimes refers to the vertical width of a flag. Length The span of a flag along the side at right angles to the flagpole, width The span of a flag down the side parallel to the flagpole. Flags often inherit traits seen in traditional European heraldry designs and as a result patterns often share names, banderole or bannerol A small flag or streamer carried on the lance of a knight, or a long narrow flag flying from the mast-head of a ship. Banner Generically, a synonym for a flag of any kind, in heraldry, a flag whose design is the same as the shield in a coat of arms, but usually in a square or rectangular shape, also known as a banner of arms. Burgee A distinguishing flag of a recreational boating organisation, Civil ensign, merchant flag or merchant ensign A version of the national flag flown by civil ships to denote nationality. Civil flag A version of the flag flown by civilians on non-government installations or craft. Colour or color The flag of a military unit, courtesy flag or courtesy ensign A flag flown by a visiting ship in foreign waters as a token of respect. Ensign The flag of a ship or military unit, may also be used generically as a synonym for a flag of any kind. Fanion A small flag used by the French military, gonfalon, gonfanon or gonfalone A type of heraldic flag suspended from a crossbar. Guidon A small flag borne by a military unit, in Scots heraldry, a smaller version of the Standard. Pennon or pennant A flag larger at the hoist than at the fly, pipe banner A decorative flag for the Scottish Highland bagpipes. Prayer flag A type of flag found strung along mountain ridges and peaks in the Himalayas, rank flag or distinguishing flag The flag flown by a superior naval officer on his flagship or headquarters
2.
Civil flag
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A civil flag is a version of the national flag that is flown by civilians on nongovernmental installations or craft. The use of flags was more common in the past to denote buildings or ships not manned by the military. In some countries, the flag is the same as the war flag or state flag but without the coat of arms, such as in the case of Spain. In others, it is an alteration of the war flag, in Scandinavia, state and war flags can be double and triple-tailed variants of the Nordic Cross flag. Many countries, particularly those with a British heritage, still have distinctive civil flags for use at sea, many based on the Red Ensign
3.
State flag
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There are two separate meanings for the term of state flag in vexillology, the flag of the government of a sovereign state and the flag of an individual subnational state. A state flag is a variant of a national flag specifically designated and restricted by law or custom to use by a government or its agencies. For this reason they are referred to as government flags. Scandinavian countries also use swallowtailed state flags, to differentiate them from civil flags. In addition, some countries have state ensigns, separate flags for use by government ships such as guard vessels. For example, government ships in the United Kingdom fly the blue ensign, state flags should not be confused with the national flag as used by military organisations, these are referred to as war flags and naval ensigns. To avoid confusion with the first meaning of the term, however, such a flag would be more referred to as the flag of the state of X. For this usage, see also, Flags of the Australian states and territories Flags of Brazilian states Flags of the U. S. states Flags of German states Znamierowski, the world encyclopedia of flags, The definitive guide to international flags, banners, standards and ensigns
4.
Flag
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A flag is a piece of fabric with a distinctive design that is used as a symbol, as a signaling device, or as decoration. National flags are patriotic symbols with varied wide-ranging interpretations, often including strong military associations due to their original, flags are also used in messaging, advertising, or for other decorative purposes. The study of flags is known as vexillology, from the Latin word vexillum, due to the use of flags by military units, flag is also used as the name of some military units. A flag is equivalent to a brigade in Arab countries, and in Spain, in antiquity, field signs or standards were used in warfare that can be categorized as vexilloid or flag-like. During the High Middle Ages flags came to be used primarily as a device in battle. Already during the medieval period, and increasingly during the Late Middle Ages. Regimental flags for individual units became commonplace during the Early Modern period, flags also became the preferred means of communications at sea, resulting in various systems of flag signals, see, International maritime signal flags. One of the most popular uses of a flag is to symbolize a nation or country, some national flags have been particularly inspirational to other nations, countries, or subnational entities in the design of their own flags. Some prominent examples include, The flag of Denmark, the Dannebrog, is attested in 1478, the flag of the Netherlands is the oldest tricolour. Its three colours of red, white and blue go back to Charlemagnes time, the 9th century, the coastal region of what today is the Netherlands was then known for its cloth in these colours. Maps from the early 16th century already put flags in these colours next to this region, a century before that, during the 15th century, the three colours were mentioned as the coastal signals for this area, with the three bands straight or diagonal, single or doubled. As state flag it first appeared around 1572 as the Princes Flag in orange–white–blue, soon the more famous red–white–blue began appearing, becoming the prevalent version from around 1630. Orange made a comeback during the war of the late 18th century. During World War II the pro-Nazi NSB used it, any symbolism has been added later to the three colours, although the orange comes from the House of Orange-Nassau. This use of orange comes from Nassau, which today uses orange-blue, not from Orange, however, the usual way to show the link with the House of Orange-Nassau is the orange pennant above the red-white-blue. It is said that the Dutch Tricolour has inspired many flags but most notably those of Russia, New York City, the national flag of France was designed in 1794. As a forerunner of revolution, Frances tricolour flag style has been adopted by other nations, examples, Italy, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ireland, Haiti, Romania and Mexico. The Union Flag of the United Kingdom is the most commonly used, british colonies typically flew a flag based on one of the ensigns based on this flag, and many former colonies have retained the design to acknowledge their cultural history
5.
Colorado
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Colorado is a state in the United States encompassing most of the Southern Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains. Colorado is part of the Western United States, the Southwestern United States, Colorado is the 8th most extensive and the 21st most populous of the 50 United States. The United States Census Bureau estimates that the population of Colorado was 5,540,545 on July 1,2016, the state was named for the Colorado River, which Spanish travelers named the Río Colorado for the ruddy silt the river carried from the mountains. The Territory of Colorado was organized on February 28,1861, Colorado is nicknamed the Centennial State because it became a state in the same year as the centennial of the United States Declaration of Independence. Colorado is noted for its landscape of mountains, forests, high plains, mesas, canyons, plateaus, rivers. Denver is the capital and the most populous city of Colorado, residents of the state are properly known as Coloradans, although the term Coloradoan has been used archaically and lives on in the title of Fort Collins newspaper, the Coloradoan. Colorado, Wyoming and Utah are the states which have boundaries defined solely by lines of latitude and longitude. The summit of Mount Elbert at 14,440 feet elevation in Lake County is the highest point in Colorado, Colorado is the only U. S. state that lies entirely above 1,000 meters elevation. The point where the Arikaree River flows out of Yuma County, Colorado and this point, which holds the distinction of being the highest low elevation point of any state, is higher than the high elevation points of 18 states and the District of Columbia. A little less than one half of the area of Colorado is flat, East of the Rocky Mountains are the Colorado Eastern Plains of the High Plains, the section of the Great Plains within Nebraska at elevations ranging from roughly 3,350 to 7,500 feet. The Colorado plains were mostly prairies, but they have many patches of forests, buttes. Eastern Colorado is presently covered in farmland and rangeland, along with small farming villages. Precipitation is fair, averaging from 15 to 25 inches annually, corn, wheat, hay, soybeans, and oats are all typical crops, and most of the villages and towns in this region boast both a water tower and a grain elevator. Irrigation water is available from the South Platte, the Arkansas River, and a few other streams, however, heavy use of ground water from wells for irrigation has caused underground water reserves to decline. As well as agriculture, eastern Colorado hosts considerable livestock, such as cattle ranches. Roughly 70% of Colorados population resides along the edge of the Rocky Mountains in the Front Range Urban Corridor between Cheyenne, Wyoming, and Pueblo, Colorado. This region is protected from prevailing storms that blow in from the Pacific Ocean region by the high Rockies in the middle of Colorado. The Front Range includes Denver, Boulder, Fort Collins, Loveland, Colorado Springs, Pueblo, Greeley and other townships, on the other side of the Rockies, the significant population centers in Western Colorado are the cities of Grand Junction, Durango, and Montrose
6.
Colorado General Assembly
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The Colorado General Assembly is the state legislature of the State of Colorado. It is a legislature that was created by the 1876 state constitution. Its statutes are codified in the Colorado Revised Statutes, the session laws are published in the Session Laws of Colorado. Colorados legislature is similar to those of states, except unlike many states Colorado does not give its lieutenant governor any legislative authority. The first meeting of the Colorado General Assembly took place from November 1,1876, succeeding sessions met every two years until 1950, when it began to meet annually. The Colorado Constitution establishes a system of government based on the separation of powers doctrine with power divided among the executive, legislative, the General Assembly is bicameral, composed of the Colorado House of Representatives and the Colorado Senate. The House has 65 members and the Senate 35, Members of the House are elected to 2-year terms, and members of the Senate are elected to 4-year terms. General legislative elections are held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in each even-numbered year, the entire House is elected in each general election. Senators are elected in two such that, as nearly as possible, one-half of the senators are elected in each general election. House members are limited to 4 consecutive terms in office, however, term-limited former members of both houses can run again after a 4-year break. It is also possible for individuals who have registered to vote. Minor party candidates can gain access to the election ballot through a minor party caucus process. Unaffiliated candidates can gain access to the election ballot by petition. Vacancies in legislative offices are filled by political party vacancy committees. The state auditor is appointed by the General Assembly, as are members of independent boards. Currently, the Colorado General Assembly has split majorities, with the Republican Party controlling the Senate, Democrats also hold the Governors office. With the notable exceptions listed below, the Colorado General Assembly operates in a quite similar to the United States Congress. Regular sessions are held annually and begin no later than the second Wednesday in January, regular sessions last no more than 120 days
7.
Flag of the United States
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The flag of the United States, often referred to as the American flag, is the national flag of the United States. S. Nicknames for the flag include The Stars and Stripes, Old Glory, the current design of the U. S. flag is its 27th, the design of the flag has been modified officially 26 times since 1777. The 48-star flag was in effect for 47 years until the 49-star version became official on July 4,1959, the 50-star flag was ordered by the then president Eisenhower on August 21,1959, and was adopted in July 1960. It is the version of the U. S. flag and has been in use for over 56 years. At the time of the Declaration of Independence in July 1776, the flag contemporaneously known as the Continental Colors has historically been referred to as the first national flag. The name Grand Union was first applied to the Continental Colors by George Preble in his 1872 history of the American flag, the flag closely resembles the British East India Company flag of the era, and Sir Charles Fawcett argued in 1937 that the company flag inspired the design. Both flags could have been constructed by adding white stripes to a British Red Ensign. However, an East India Company flag could have nine to 13 stripes. In any case, both the stripes and the stars have precedents in classical heraldry, Flag Day is now observed on June 14 of each year. While scholars still argue about this, tradition holds that the new flag was first hoisted in June 1777 by the Continental Army at the Middlebrook encampment. The first official U. S. flag flown during battle was on August 3,1777, Massachusetts reinforcements brought news of the adoption by Congress of the official flag to Fort Schuyler. A voucher is extant that Capt. Swartwout of Dutchess County was paid by Congress for his coat for the flag, the 1777 resolution was most probably meant to define a naval ensign. In the late 18th century, the notion of a flag did not yet exist. The flag resolution appears between other resolutions from the Marine Committee, on May 10,1779, Secretary of the Board of War Richard Peters expressed concern it is not yet settled what is the Standard of the United States. However, the term, Standard, referred to a standard for the Army of the United States. Each regiment was to carry the standard in addition to its regimental standard. The national standard was not a reference to the national or naval flag, the appearance was up to the maker of the flag. Some flag makers arranged the stars into one big star, in a circle or in rows, one arrangement features 13 five-pointed stars arranged in a circle, with the stars arranged pointing outwards from the circle, the so-called Betsy Ross flag
8.
North American Vexillological Association
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The North American Vexillological Association is an American and Canadian membership organization devoted to vexillology, the scientific and scholarly study of flags. It was founded in 1967 by American vexillologist Whitney Smith and others, the association is a charter member of the International Federation of Vexillological Associations, and is among the largest vexillological organizations. President, John M. Hartvigsen First Vice President, Luc Baronian, second Vice President, Ted McNabb Secretary, Lee Herold Treasurer, John S. Adcock, J. D. Editor, Raven, A Journal of Vexillology, Kenneth W. Reynolds, Ph. D. Editors, Flag Research Quarterly, Kenneth A. Hartvigsen, Ph. D. & Steven A. Knowlton, M. L. I. S Editor, NAVA News, the length of the top side of the blue triangle is the same as the width of the flag. The colors are taken from the flags of the two countries covered by the Association, Canada and the United States. Since 1967, the Association has held meetings across the United States and Canada for all those interested in flags to present and discuss research. Since 1977, it has marked each meeting with a distinctive flag, American City Flags, a book published by the Association
9.
Seal of Colorado
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The Seal of the State of Colorado is an adaptation of the Territorial Seal which was adopted by the First Territorial Assembly on November 6,1861. The only changes made in the Territorial Seal design being the substitution of the words, State of Colorado, the first General Assembly of the State of Colorado approved the adoption of the state seal on March 15,1877. The Colorado Secretary of State alone is authorized to affix the Great Seal of Colorado to any document whatsoever. Below the eye is a scroll, the Roman fasces, a bundle of birch or elm rods with a battle ax bound together with a ribbon of red, white and blue with the words, Union and Constitution. The bundle of rods bound together symbolizes strength which is lacking in the single rod, the axe symbolizes authority and leadership. Below the scroll is the shield bearing across the top a red sky behind three snow-capped mountains and clouds above them. The lower half of the shield has two tools, the pick and sledge hammer, crossed on a golden ground. There is also evidence that Territorial Governor William Gilpin also was at least partially responsible for the design, both Weld and Gilpin were knowledgeable in the art and symbolism of heraldry. Elements of design from both the Weld and Gilpin families’ coats of arms are incorporated in the Territorial Seal, Nil sine numine is the state motto of Colorado. The Latin phrase appears to be an adaptation from Virgils Aeneid where in Book II, others say it is Nothing without God. Merriam Websters translates it as Nothing without the divine will, in the early mining days of the State, the unregenerate said it meant nothing without a new mine. The word numen means any divinity, god or goddess, or divine spirit, the motto appeared when Colorados first Territorial Governor William Gilpin asked the Secretary of the Territory L. C. Weld for a motto for the state seal. According to the story, Weld said, Well, Governor, Gilpin is said to have paused in thought for a moment and then responded Nil Sine Numine. On November 6,1861 by Joint Resolution the First Territorial Assembly adopted the motto with the territorial seal, list of Colorado state symbols Flag of Colorado Seal of the State of Colorado
10.
Wayback Machine
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The Internet Archive launched the Wayback Machine in October 2001. It was set up by Brewster Kahle and Bruce Gilliat, and is maintained with content from Alexa Internet, the service enables users to see archived versions of web pages across time, which the archive calls a three dimensional index. Since 1996, the Wayback Machine has been archiving cached pages of websites onto its large cluster of Linux nodes and it revisits sites every few weeks or months and archives a new version. Sites can also be captured on the fly by visitors who enter the sites URL into a search box, the intent is to capture and archive content that otherwise would be lost whenever a site is changed or closed down. The overall vision of the machines creators is to archive the entire Internet, the name Wayback Machine was chosen as a reference to the WABAC machine, a time-traveling device used by the characters Mr. Peabody and Sherman in The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show, an animated cartoon. These crawlers also respect the robots exclusion standard for websites whose owners opt for them not to appear in search results or be cached, to overcome inconsistencies in partially cached websites, Archive-It. Information had been kept on digital tape for five years, with Kahle occasionally allowing researchers, when the archive reached its fifth anniversary, it was unveiled and opened to the public in a ceremony at the University of California, Berkeley. Snapshots usually become more than six months after they are archived or, in some cases, even later. The frequency of snapshots is variable, so not all tracked website updates are recorded, Sometimes there are intervals of several weeks or years between snapshots. After August 2008 sites had to be listed on the Open Directory in order to be included. As of 2009, the Wayback Machine contained approximately three petabytes of data and was growing at a rate of 100 terabytes each month, the growth rate reported in 2003 was 12 terabytes/month, the data is stored on PetaBox rack systems manufactured by Capricorn Technologies. In 2009, the Internet Archive migrated its customized storage architecture to Sun Open Storage, in 2011 a new, improved version of the Wayback Machine, with an updated interface and fresher index of archived content, was made available for public testing. The index driving the classic Wayback Machine only has a bit of material past 2008. In January 2013, the company announced a ground-breaking milestone of 240 billion URLs, in October 2013, the company announced the Save a Page feature which allows any Internet user to archive the contents of a URL. This became a threat of abuse by the service for hosting malicious binaries, as of December 2014, the Wayback Machine contained almost nine petabytes of data and was growing at a rate of about 20 terabytes each week. Between October 2013 and March 2015 the websites global Alexa rank changed from 162 to 208, in a 2009 case, Netbula, LLC v. Chordiant Software Inc. defendant Chordiant filed a motion to compel Netbula to disable the robots. Netbula objected to the motion on the ground that defendants were asking to alter Netbulas website, in an October 2004 case, Telewizja Polska USA, Inc. v. Echostar Satellite, No.02 C3293,65 Fed. 673, a litigant attempted to use the Wayback Machine archives as a source of admissible evidence, Telewizja Polska is the provider of TVP Polonia and EchoStar operates the Dish Network
11.
Flags of the World
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Flags of the World is an Internet-based vexillological association and resource. Its principal project is the Internets largest website devoted to vexillology, containing information about all kinds of flags. The mailing list began as a group in about September 1993, while the website was founded by Giuseppe Bottasini in late 1994. FotW became the 56th member of the FIAV in 2001, both the website and the mailing list operate in the English language, though there are members from around the world and as such information from many languages is translated and included. The mailing list is monitored by the FOTW Listmaster, while work on the website is coordinated by the FOTW Editorial Director, the website is updated once a week with fresh material, some mirrors update monthly. Due to the amount of material there is an editing backlog. There are also some mirrors that have not been updated for varying periods of time, the source for material on the FOTW website are contributions to the FOTW mailing list, which has over 1000 members, of which some 100 are active contributors. The mailing list has notable minorities of Portuguese, French, Dutch, a staff of three unpaid volunteers manages and moderates the list. An affiliated Flags of the World Facebook group has established, inaugurated by Edward Mooney. As of November 2016 the group is run and moderated by a team of ten administrators, FOTW displays standardized flag images in GIF format, usually at a height of 216 pixels. While the GIF file format is capable of displaying 256 colours, the organizations flag is a design by Mark Sensen, which was selected over 10 challengers in a poll of FOTW mailing list members and was adopted 8 March 1996. Since then, March 8 has been regarded as FOTWs Flag day, Sensen described its symbolism, White on the hoist stands for peace, blue on the fly for progress. The six colours of the stars are the colours used in flags. The stars help to make one bigger symbol, the way the stars are all connected to each other represents the Internet. The flag is used as a rare representation of the Internet on a flag. List of flags List of flags by country Gallery of country flags Flags of the World Dictionary of Vexillology Flag Days Of The World FOTW mailing list
12.
Flags of the U.S. states and territories
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The flags of the U. S. states, territories and federal district exhibit a variety of regional influences and local histories, as well as different styles and design principles. Nonetheless, the majority of the states share the same design pattern consisting of the state seal superimposed on a monochrome background. The most recent current state flag is that of Utah, while the most recent current territorial flag is that of the Northern Mariana Islands. Modern U. S. state flags date from the 1890s, most U. S. state flags were designed and adopted between 1893 and World War I. Dates in parentheses denote when the current flag was adopted by the states legislature and these are the current flags of the federal district and territories of the United States. Dates in parenthesis denote when the district or territorys current flag was adopted by its respective political body, the U. S. national flag is the official flag for all islands, atolls, and reefs composing the United States Minor Outlying Islands. However, unofficial flags are in use on five of these nine areas, Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island. Maine and Massachusetts have ensigns differing from the flag for use at sea
13.
U.S. state
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A U. S. state is a constituent political entity of the United States of America. There are 50 states, which are together in a union with each other. Each state holds administrative jurisdiction over a geographic territory. Due to the shared sovereignty between each state and the government, Americans are citizens of both the federal republic and of the state in which they reside. State citizenship and residency are flexible, and no government approval is required to move between states, except for persons covered by certain types of court orders. States range in population from just under 600,000 to over 39 million, four states use the term commonwealth rather than state in their full official names. States are divided into counties or county-equivalents, which may be assigned some local authority but are not sovereign. County or county-equivalent structure varies widely by state, State governments are allocated power by the people through their individual constitutions. All are grounded in principles, and each provides for a government. States possess a number of powers and rights under the United States Constitution, Constitution has been amended, and the interpretation and application of its provisions have changed. The general tendency has been toward centralization and incorporation, with the government playing a much larger role than it once did. There is a debate over states rights, which concerns the extent and nature of the states powers and sovereignty in relation to the federal government. States and their residents are represented in the federal Congress, a legislature consisting of the Senate. Each state is represented in the Senate by two senators, and is guaranteed at least one Representative in the House, members of the House are elected from single-member districts. Representatives are distributed among the states in proportion to the most recent constitutionally mandated decennial census, the Constitution grants to Congress the authority to admit new states into the Union. Since the establishment of the United States in 1776, the number of states has expanded from the original 13 to 50, alaska and Hawaii are the most recent states admitted, both in 1959. The Constitution is silent on the question of states have the power to secede from the Union. Shortly after the Civil War, the U. S. Supreme Court, in Texas v. White, as a result, while the governments of the various states share many similar features, they often vary greatly with regard to form and substance
14.
Flag of Alabama
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The bars forming the cross shall be not less than six inches broad, and must extend diagonally across the flag from side to side. – The cross of St. Patrick referred to in the law is a diagonal cross, because the bars must be at least six inches wide, small representations of the Alabama flag do not meet the legal definition. On January 11,1861, the Alabama Secession Convention passed a resolution designating an official flag, designed by several women from Montgomery, final touches were made by Francis Corra of that city. One side of the flag displayed the Goddess of Liberty holding a sword in her right hand. Above the gold star appears the text Alabama in all capital letters, in an arch above this figure were the words Independent Now and Forever. The reverse side of the flag had a plant with a coiled rattlesnake. The text Noli Me Tangere, was placed below the cotton plant and this flag was sent to the governors office on February 10,1861. Due to damage from weather, the flag was never flown again. Alabamas current flag was adopted in 1895, the legislation introduced by Representative John W. A. Sanford Jr. stipulates that he flag of the state of Alabama shall be a crimson cross of St. Andrew on a field of white. The bars forming the cross shall be not less than six inches broad, and must extend diagonally across the flag from side to side. Sanfords father, John W. A. Sanford, had commanded the 60th Alabama Infantry Regiment during the U. S. Civil War, the design of that regimental flag was a white saltire over a blue field with a circle of white stars surrounding the crossing. The regimental flag accompanied them through the end of the war and was surrendered at Appomattox Courthouse, the saltire of Alabamas flag most closely resembles the saltire of the flag of Florida, which has its heritage in the Spanish Cross of Burgundy. Southern Alabama was originally part of Spanish Florida and subsequently West Florida, Alabamas flag is officially a St. Andrews cross as described in its legislation, and so is the Cross of Burgundy, representing the cross on which St. Andrew was crucified. It is sometimes believed that the saltire of the current flag of Alabama was designed to resemble the blue saltire of the Confederate Battle Flag. Many battle flags were square, and the flag of Alabama is sometimes depicted as square. The legislation that created the flag did not specify that the flag was to be square. The authors of a 1917 article in National Geographic expressed their opinion that because the Alabama flag was based on the Battle Flag, another remote, but possible inspiration was the flag carried by Co. The regiment was the only Alabama regiment in Ruckers Brigade, commanded by Col. Edmund Rucker of Tennessee, the flag of Ruckers brigade utilized a white background with a red saltire charged with 13 blue/green stars
15.
Flag of Alaska
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The flag of Alaska consists of eight gold stars, forming the Big Dipper and Polaris, on a dark blue field. The Big Dipper is an asterism in the constellation Ursa Major which symbolizes a bear, as depicted on the flag, its stars can be used as a guide by the novice to locate Polaris and determine true north, which varies considerably from a magnetic north. The design was created by Benny Benson of Seward and selected from among roughly 700 entries in a 1927 contest. More than 30 years before Alaska was to become a state, up to that time, Alaskans had flown only the U. S. flag since the territory was purchased from Russia in 1867. Bensons design was chosen over roughly 700 other submissions from schoolchildren territory-wide in grades 7–12, most other entries featured variations on the territorial seal, the midnight sun, the northern lights, polar bears, and/or gold pans. To celebrate his achievement, Benson was awarded US$1,000, Benny looked to the sky for the symbols he included in his design. The flag flown by the Companys ships and their shore establishments was Russias commercial flag, the new Company flag design of 1806 placed the Imperial eagle in the upper left quarter of Russias commercial flag. In order that the State symbol remain unobstructed and more visible the width of the stripe was enlarged to cover roughly one half of the flags width. The normal width proportions of Russias commercial flag were equal thirds, the Imperial eagle carried a scroll which dipped into the blue stripe, also for more visibility, which read, in abbreviated form Russian American Companys. The symbolism of the scroll beneath the Imperial eagle compliments the official version of the Companys name Under His Imperial Majestys Protection Russian-American Company, the flag flew over Alaska until October 18,1867, when all Russian-American Company holdings in Alaska were sold to the United States. The Alaska Legislature adopted Bensons design as the flag for the Territory of Alaska on May 2,1927. The first flag made based on Bennys design was made of silk and appliquéd gold stars. It was retained as the flag upon statehood in 1959. The flags symbolism is described in the song, Alaskas Flag. Symbols of the State of Alaska Seal of the State of Alaska Starry Plough Catalog of the Eight Stars exhibit at the Alaska State Museum, in PDF format
16.
Flag of Arizona
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The flag of Arizona consists of 13 rays of red and weld-yellow on the top half, the colors of the flag of Spain, representing the 13 original states. The red and yellow also symbolize Arizonas picturesque sunsets, the copper star represents the copper mining industry in Arizona. The rest of the flag is colored blue, representing the Colorado River, during the rifle competition at Camp Perry, Ohio, the Arizona team was the only team without an emblem of any kind. Colonel Harris was chiefly responsible for the creation of the team flag that in 1917 became the Arizona State Flag. Blue and gold are the colors of Arizona, red and gold are the colors carried by Coronado’s Expedition of 1540 to the Seven Cities of Cibola. The blue is “liberty blue” identical to the color in the United States flag field of stars, since Arizona is a western state, the rays of the setting sun seemed appropriate. There are thirteen rays representing the original “thirteen colonies. ”The large copper star identifies Arizona as the largest producer of copper in the United States. While Colonel Harris is credited with the creation of the Rifle Team flag, W. R. Stewart of Mesa was working in conjunction with Colonel Charles W. Harris, who was the Arizona Adjutant General and head of the Arizona National Guard. Stewart, as President of the Mesa Rifle Team, felt compelled to design a flag for competition, stewarts wife sewed the first flag for competition from a sketch he had made on the back of an envelope. The Stewart/Harris version of the flags origin is due to Stewart dropping some copper dye and white material into boiling water. However, these early explorers never used the current Spanish flag, the flag was adopted on February 17,1917, by the 3rd Arizona Legislature. It was passed into law without the signature of Governor Thomas Campbell, the governor did not officially state his reasons for taking no action on the bill. To properly produce the flag, the height of the flag is two units high while the width is three units wide. The sun rays at the top are divided into 13 equal segments, starting with red, in the center of the flag, the copper star is one unit high, while the rest of the flag is covered by blue section measuring one unit high and three units wide. The colors of red and blue are the shade used on the flag of the United States. The specific colors of copper and gold have not been set down in law, the suggested flag size is four by six feet, with the star being two feet tall. Seal of Arizona List of Arizona state symbols Arizona flag history http, //www. mesaaz. gov/planning/RobsonHistoricDistrict. aspx
17.
Flag of Arkansas
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The Flag of Arkansas, also known as the Arkansas flag, consists of a red field charged with a large blue-bordered white lozenge. Twenty-nine five-pointed stars appear on the flag, twenty-five small white stars within the blue border, the inscription ARKANSAS appears in blue within the white lozenge, with one star above and three stars below. The star above and the two stars below point upwards, the inner star below points downwards. It was designed by Willie Hocker of Wabbaseka, a member of the Pine Bluff Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, around 1912, the Pine Bluff Chapter of the DAR wished to present a state flag for the commissioning of the battleship USS Arkansas. When it was discovered that Arkansas did not have a state flag, Hocker, a member of the Pine Bluff DAR chapter, won with a design that is similar to the current flag. She designed the flag with three stars in the middle of the white diamond and omitted ARKANSAS. At the request of the committee, chaired by Secretary of State Earle Hodges, Hocker added ARKANSAS and rearranged the stars to one on top. This flag was adopted by the legislature on February 26,1913, in 1923, the legislature added a fourth star, representing the Confederate States of America. This fourth star was placed so that there were two stars above the state name and two below, this was to include the Confederacy alongside Spain, France, and the United States. The 1924 design was confirmed as law in 1987 by Act 116, in 2011, Act 1205 was signed by Governor Beebe adding some more details to the state flag. In the terms of colors, the red and blue used on the flag is Old Glory Red. The Act also stated that flags purchased by the Secretary of State must be manufactured in the United States, the flags elements have a complex symbolism. According to the 1987 state law defining the flag, the diamond represents Arkansas status as the only diamond-bearing state in the Union, the number of white stars around the border of the diamond represents Arkansas position as the 25th state to join the union. The blue star above ARKANSAS represents the Confederate States of America, the design of the border around the white diamond evokes the saltire found on the Confederate battle flag. The three stars below ARKANSAS have three meanings, The three nations to which Arkansas has belonged The Louisiana Purchase, which brought Arkansas into the U. S. was signed in 1803. Arkansas was the state formed from the Louisiana Purchase. However, that part of the statute contains two inaccuracies, The three stars were in a row in Hockers original design, they were not arranged in a triangle until later. Once that happened, it was finally admitted January 26,1837, the law defining the flag also defines a text to be used in saluting the flag, I salute the Arkansas Flag with its diamond and stars
18.
Flag of California
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The Bear Flag is the official flag of the state of California. The precursor of the flag was first flown during the 1846 Bear Flag Revolt and was known as the Bear Flag. The first official version of the Bear Flag was adopted by the California State Legislature, the 1911 statute stated, The bear flag is hereby selected and adopted as the state flag of California. In 1953, the design and specifications for the flag were standardized in a bill signed by Governor Earl Warren. He shall, periodically, compile the laws and regulations regarding the State Flag, copies of the compilation shall be printed and made available to the public at cost by the Department of General Services. When the flag is displayed vertically, it is rotated 90 degrees clockwise such that the bear and star face upward, the flag is also used as the state ensign. The modern state flag is white with a red strip along the bottom. There is a red star in the left corner and a grizzly bear facing left in the center. The size of the bear is 2/3 the size of the hoist width and has a ratio of 2 by 1, the grass plot has a ratio of 11 to 1. The five-point star is taken from the California Lone Star Flag of 1836, the bear on the current flag of California is claimed to have been modeled on the last Californian grizzly bear in captivity. The bear, named Monarch, was captured in 1889 by newspaper reporter Allen Kelley, the bear was subsequently moved to Woodwards Gardens in San Francisco, and then to the zoo at Golden Gate Park. After the bears death in 1911, it was mounted and preserved at the Academy of Sciences at Golden Gate Park, the 1953 law includes an official black and white rendering of the bear as well as the plot of grass and brown tufts. This drawing and other specifications that define the flags colors and dimensions are identified as 54-J-03. In 2001, the North American Vexillological Association surveyed its members on the designs of the 72 U. S. state, U. S. territorial, and Canadian provincial flags and ranked the flag of California 13th. The 1953 legislation defined the shades of the Californian flag with a total of five colors relative to the 9th edition of the Standard Color Card of America. It is one of only four US state flags that does not contain the color blue, Seal is used for the dark shading of the bear, the 12 darker tufts in the plot of grass, the border of the plot and the lettering CALIFORNIA REPUBLIC. Old Glory Red is used for the star, the bears tongue, irish Green is used for the grass plot. The bears claws are also accented with white, the left front and rear paws have four white claws while the right rear claw displays three
19.
Flag of Connecticut
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The flag of the state of Connecticut is a white baroque shield with three grapevines, each bearing three bunches of purple grapes on a field of azure blue. The banner below the shield reads Qui Transtulit Sustinet, Latin for He who transplanted still sustains), the flag dimensions are 5.5 feet in length and 4.33 feet in width. The Connecticut General Assembly approved the flag in 1897 after it was introduced by Governor Owen Vincent Coffin in 1895, the design comes from the seal of Saybrook Colony, designed by George Fenwick when it was established in 1639. That seal depicted 15 grapevines and a hand in the left corner with a scroll reading Sustinet qui transtulit. When Connecticut Colony bought Saybrook in 1644, the transferred to Connecticut Colony. On October 25,1711, the governor and legislature changed the seal and they reduced the number of grapevines from 15 to three, in order to represent the three oldest settlements and rearranged the wording and position of the motto. In 2001, the North American Vexillological Association surveyed its members on the designs of the 72 U. S. state, U. S. territorial, the survey ranked the Connecticut flag 50th out of 72. The flag is traditionally at half mast when the American flag is flown at half mast, according to 2007-R-0624, only the governor of Connecticut may decide to fly the state flag at half mast, though the right is a power of office and not a law. State of Connecticut Symbols of the state of Connecticut Great Seal of the State of Connecticut Coat of arms of Connecticut History of the Connecticut flag
20.
Flag of Delaware
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The flag of the state of Delaware consists of a buff-colored diamond on a field of colonial blue, with the coat of arms of the state of Delaware inside the diamond. Below the diamond, the date December 7,1787, declares the day on which Delaware became the first state to ratify the United States Constitution, the colors of the flag reflect the colors of the uniform of General George Washington. The coat of arms in the center of the flag was adopted on January 17,1777 and it depicts a shield of horizontal green, blue, and white stripes. On the stripes are a sheaf of wheat, an ear of corn, above the shield is a sailing ship. Supporting the shield are a farmer on the left and a soldier on the right, the state motto, below the shield, reads Liberty and Independence. These symbols are included on the seal of Delaware. The current flag was adopted on July 24,1913, during the American Civil War, regiments from Delaware flew a flag which was similar to the state coat of arms on a field of blue. The official state colors, colonial blue and buff, are designated by the Textile Color Card Association of the United States,2, 1/140565, dated November 18,1954, which is on file with the Delaware Public Archives, Dover, Delaware. State of Delaware Symbols of the state of Delaware Great Seal of the State of Delaware Wyatt, Delaware Delaware Flag,29 Del. C. 1953, §506,50 Del. Laws, c,288, §1,70 Del. Laws, c. 186, §1,72 Del. Laws, c,1953, §507,50 Del. Laws, c. Delaware Facts and Symbols - State Flag
21.
Flag of Florida
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The flag of Florida consists of a red saltire on a white background, with the state seal superimposed on the center. The design was approved by popular referendum November 6,1900, the flags current design has been in use since May 21,1985, after the state seal was graphically altered and officially sanctioned for use by state officials. Spain was a union and federation of kingdoms when Juan Ponce de León claimed Florida on April 2,1513. As with other Spanish territories, the Burgundian saltire was generally used in Florida to represent collective Spanish independence between 1513 and 1821, in 1763, Spain passed control of Florida to Great Britain via the Treaty of Paris. Great Britain used the original union flag with the diagonal stripes in Florida during this brief period. The British also divided the Florida territory into East Florida, with its capital at St. Augustine, Spain regained control of Florida in 1783. In 1785, King Charles III chose a new naval and battle flag for Spain, which was now a more centralized nation-state, and its territories. This flag, a tri-band of red-gold-red, was used along with the Burgundian saltire in the provinces of East and West Florida until 1821, between 1821 and 1861, Florida had no official flag. This flag was used when Floridian forces took control of U. S. forts. Col. William H. Chase was Commander of Floridian troops, later in the year the Florida Legislature passed a law authorizing Governor Perry to design an official flag. His design was the tri-band of the Confederacy but with the field extending all the way down. As part of the Confederacy, Florida used all three versions of the Confederate flag and the Bonnie Blue Flag, which was used as an unofficial flag of the Confederacy. The Bonnie Blue flag features a single five-point star centered in a blue background and it was used as the flag of the short-lived Republic of West Florida in 1810, which included parts of modern-day Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. Between 1868 and 1900, the flag of Florida was simply the state seal on a white background, in a discrepancy, however, a later version of the state seal depicts a steamboat with a white flag that includes a red saltire, similar to Floridas current flag. In the late 1890s, Governor Francis P. Fleming, a nationalist, floridians approved the addition of St. Andrews Cross by popular referendum in 1900. The red saltire of the Cross of Burgundy represents the cross on which St. Andrew was crucified, the addition was made during a period of nostalgia for the Lost Cause around the time of the flags change
22.
Flag of Georgia (U.S. state)
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The current flag of the state of Georgia was adopted on May 8,2003. The flag bears three stripes consisting of red-white-red, and a canton containing a ring of 13 white stars encompassing the states coat of arms in gold. In the coat of arms, the arch symbolizes the states constitution, within the arms, a sword is drawn to represent the defense of the states constitution. An additional motto, In God We Trust, is positioned underneath these elements acting as the states foundation, the ring of stars that encompass the states coat of arms symbolize Georgias status as one of the original Thirteen Colonies. The design principle is based on the first national flag of the Confederacy, the 1879 flag was introduced by Georgia state senator Herman H. Perry and was adopted to memorialize Confederate soldiers during the American Civil War. Perry was a colonel in the Confederate army during the war. Over the following decades, the flag was changed by adding, at the time, opposition to changing the flag came from various sides, including from Confederate historical groups like the United Daughters of the Confederacy. S. Pledge of Allegiance, which states that the U. S. was one nation, opponents to the flags change also said that there was nothing wrong with the 1920 flag and that people were content with it. Others opposed changing the flag out of the burden it would place on those who would have to purchase a new flag to replace the outdated one. Board of Education and pro-segregationist comments by then-Governor Marvin Griffin, such as The rest of the nation is looking to Georgia for the lead in segregation. Political pressure for a change in the state flag increased during the 1990s. In 1992, Governor Zell Miller announced his intention to get the battle flag element removed, the matter was dropped after the 1993 legislative session. Many Atlanta residents and some Georgia politicians refused to fly the 1956 flag, millers successor as governor, Roy Barnes, responded to the increasing calls for a new state flag, and in 2001 hurried a replacement through the Georgia General Assembly. Those flags are a thirteen-star U. S. flag of the Betsy Ross design, the first Georgia flag, the 1920–1956 Georgia flag, the state flag. In a 2001 survey on state and provincial flags in North America conducted by the North American Vexillological Association, the group stated that the flag violates all the principles of good flag design. After the 1956 state flag was replaced in 2001, the Georgia city of Trenton adopted a version as its official city flag. In 2002, Sonny Perdue was elected Governor of Georgia, partially on a platform of allowing Georgians to choose their own flag in a state referendum and he authorized the Georgia legislature to draft a new flag in 2003. Perdue signed the legislation into law on May 8,2003, the 2003 flag legislation also authorized a public referendum on which of the two most recent flags would be adopted as the flag of the state
23.
Flag of Hawaii
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The flag of the state of Hawaii is the official flag symbolizing Hawaii as a U. S. state. The same flag had previously been used by the kingdom, protectorate, republic. It is the only U. S. state flag to feature the flag of a country which is the Union flag of the United Kingdom. The canton of the flag of Hawaii contains the Union Flag of the United Kingdom, the field of the flag is composed of eight horizontal stripes, symbolizing the eight major islands. Other versions of the flag have only seven stripes, probably representing the islands with the exception of Kahoʻolawe or Niʻihau. The color of the stripes, from the top down, follows the sequence, white, red, blue, white, red, blue, white, the colors were standardized in 1843, although other combinations have been seen and are occasionally still used. In 2001, a survey conducted by the North American Vexillological Association placed Hawaiis flag 11th in design quality out of the 72 Canadian provincial, U. S. state, there are various accounts of the earliest history of the flag of Hawaii. One relates how King Kamehameha I flew a British flag, probably a Red Ensign, subsequent visitors reported seeing the flag flying from places of honor. This explains why the flag of Hawaii was a deliberate hybrid of the two nations flags. In 1816, Kamehameha commissioned his own flag to avoid this conflict and it was probably designed by one of the commanders of the Royal Hawaiian Navy, former officers of the British Royal Navy, who advised Kamehameha, based on a form of the British naval flag. There is debate as to the designer, some credit Alexander Adams. It was very similar to the flag of the British East India Company in use about this time which had only red, Captain Adams used this flag for the first time on a Hawaiian trade mission to China in 1817. The original flag was designed to feature stripes alternating in the order red-white-blue, there may have been possibly different versions of the flag with different numbers of stripes and colors. The number of stripes also changed, originally, the flag was designed with seven or nine horizontal stripes. The latter arrangement was adopted and is used today, in 1990, Governor of Hawaii John Waihee proclaimed July 31 to be Ka Hae Hawaii Day, the Hawaiian Flag Day. It has been celebrated each year since then, the flag used by the governor of Hawaii is a red and blue bi-color. In the middle of the eight white stars appears the name of the state in all capital letters, during the time Hawaii was a United States territory, the letters in the middle of the flag were TH, which stood for Territory of Hawaii. List of Hawaii state symbols Seal of Hawaii Constitutional Provisions for the Display of Ka Hae Hawaii Hawaii at Flags of the World
24.
Flag and seal of Idaho
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The Seal of the Territory of Idaho was adopted in 1863, and redrawn several times before statehood in 1890. The state Great Seal was designed by Emma Edwards Green, the woman to design a state seal. The flag of the state of Idaho consists of the seal on a field of blue. The words “State of Idaho” appear in letters on a red. The seal depicts a miner and a woman representing equality, liberty, the symbols on the seal represent some of Idaho’s natural resources, mines, forests, farmland, and wildlife. The current seal contains the text Great Seal of the State of Idaho in the outer ring, the inner ring contains a banner with the Latin motto, Esto perpetua. A woman, signifying justice, and a man, dressed as a miner, the miner reminds us of the chief industry of the State at the time of statehood. Inside, the shield bears images symbolic of the State, the pine tree in the foreground refers to Idahos immense timber interests. Idaho has a law, which protects the elk and moose. The state flower, the wild Syringa or Mock Orange, grows at the womans feet, the river depicted in the shield is the Snake or Shoshone River. In 2001, the North American Vexillological Association surveyed its members on the designs of all 72 Canadian provincial, U. S. state and U. S. territorial flags, Idaho finished in the bottom ten, finishing 64th out of the 72. Idaho Symbols of Idaho The Great Seal of the State of Idaho Facts About Idaho
25.
Flag and seal of Illinois
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The Great Seal of the State of Illinois is the official emblem of the state, and signifies the official nature of a document produced by the state of Illinois. The flag of the state of Illinois consists of the seal of Illinois on a white background, the present seal was adopted in 1869, the flag bearing the central elements of the seal was adopted in 1915, and the word Illinois was added to the flag in 1970. The current flag depicts the Great Seal of Illinois, which was designed in 1819. In the eagles beak there is a banner with the motto, State Sovereignty. The dates on the seal,1818 and 1868, represent the year Illinois became a state, although State Sovereignty comes first in the motto, State is at the bottom and Sovereignty is upside-down. The first Great Seal of the State of Illinois was adopted in 1819 by the first Illinois General Assembly, the first law authorizing the Great Seal required the Secretary of State of Illinois to procure and keep the seal. The first seal engraved was essentially a duplicate of the Great Seal of the United States and it was used until 1839, when it was recut. The seal designed in 1839 became the Second Great Seal, Illinois Secretary of State Sharon Tyndale spearheaded the drive to create a third state seal for Illinois. In 1867, he asked State Senator Allen C, however, the bill passed by the legislature on March 7,1867, kept the original wording. Despite declining his suggestion, the legislature nonetheless entrusted Tyndale with designing the new seal, tyndales seal features a bald eagle pitched on a rock carrying a shield in its talons and a banner with the state motto in its beak. Thirteen stars and thirteen stripes on the represent the original thirteen states of the Union. This basic design has survived through several modifications since it was first conceived. The Illinois Secretary of State is still the keeper of the Great Seal of the State of Illinois, during her time as state regent of the Daughters of the American Revolution in 1912, Ella Park Lawrence began a campaign to have Illinois adopt a state flag. Thirty-five designs were submitted in response to this contest, the contest was judged by a panel chaired by Lewis Stevenson, Illinois Secretary of State. They selected the design of Lucy Derwent, the flag became the official state banner on July 6,1915, following its passage in the Illinois State House and Senate. Governor Edward F. Dunne did not sign the bill, in the 1960s, Chief Petty Officer Bruce McDaniel petitioned to have the name of the state added to the flag. He noted that many of the people he served with during the Vietnam War did not recognize the banner. Ogilvie signed the addition to the flag into law on September 17,1969, for Illinoiss first 100 years of statehood in 1918, Wallace Rice, who designed Chicagos flag, designed a centennial flag for the state
26.
Flag of Indiana
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The flag of Indiana was designed by Paul Hadley and officially adopted by the state of Indiana on May 31,1917. It was the states first official flag and has remained unchanged since then except for the creation of a statute to standardize the production of the flag, to commemorate the state’s 1916 centennial anniversary, the Indiana General Assembly issued a resolution to adopt a state flag. At the request of the General Assembly, a contest was sponsored by the Indiana Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution to design a flag to serve as the state banner. As an incentive to increase the number of submissions, the contest offered the winner a one hundred dollar cash prize, more than two hundred submissions were received and examined by the Society before a winner was selected. The entry created by Paul Hadley of Mooresville, Indiana, was chosen as the winner of the contest. On May 31,1917, the flag was chosen as the official banner. The General Assembly made only one change to Hadleys original design, they added the word Indiana, in a crescent shape, the state banner was later renamed the states flag in a new statute passed in 1955 that also standardized the dimensions of the flag. The flag consists of a torch that represents liberty and enlightenment. The nineteen stars represent Indianas place as the state to join the United States. The field of the flag shall be blue with nineteen stars, rays shall be shown radiating from the torch to the three stars on each side of the star in the upper center of the circle. Several other laws govern the use of the state flag, the flag is required to be flown by all state militias and the Indiana National Guard. It is to be on display at the Indiana Statehouse at all times, the flag must also be displayed at any agency that is funded in part or in full by the state government, including public schools, state universities, and state parks. In all other respects the flag should be treated with the same care, in late 2008, Tribune Media station WTTV in Indianapolis began to use the flags design as part of their stations logo until acquiring CBS affiliation in January 2015. A variation of the Indiana state flag was used as the Gotham flag in the 1989 movie Batman, the flag can be seen in the mayors office. List of Indiana state symbols Great Seal of the State of Indiana Indiana Historical Bureau
27.
Flag of Iowa
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The flag of the state of Iowa is a vertical tricolor of blue, white, and red, reflecting Iowas history as part of the French Louisiana Territory. The image of an eagle with a long ribbon reading Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain. The word Iowa is placed directly below it in red, serifed majuscules, the flag was adopted in 1921, it was first approved in May 1917, by the Iowa State Council for Defense. It was designed in 1917, by Knoxville, Iowa resident Mrs. Dixie Cornell Gebhardt, of the Daughters of the American Revolution of Iowa. In 2001, a survey conducted by the North American Vexillological Association placed Iowas flag 42nd in design quality out of the 72 Canadian provincial, U. S. state, flag of Des Moines, Iowa List of Iowa state symbols Seal of Iowa Iowa State Symbols
28.
Flag of Kansas
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The flag of the state of Kansas was adopted in 1927. The elements of the flag include the state seal and a sunflower. This original design was modified in 1961 to add the name of the state at the bottom of the flag, the official flag of Kansas is represented by a dark-blue silk rectangle arranged horizontally with the state seal aligned in the center. Above the seal is a sunflower which sits over a bar of gold, below the seal is printed the name of the state KANSAS. The state seal centered on the flag tells the history of Kansas, Kansas state law provides that the flag is to be used on all occasions when the state is officially represented. The flag of Kansas was designed in 1925 by Hazel Avery and first used in a Fourth of July parade in Lincoln, officially adopted by the Kansas State Legislature in 1927 and modified in 1961. First flown at Fort Riley by Governor Benjamin S. Paulen in 1927 for the troops at Fort Riley, from 1925 to 1927, Kansas used a state banner instead of a flag. The Kansas state banner, which consisted of a large sunflower and it was given a unique design to avoid competition with the United States flag. However, after the banner was rejected for display in Washington, according to the North American Vexillological Association, the state banner exists today as an official alternative to the state flag. The organizations website features the banner – a lone sunflower on a blue field –, flags of the Governors of the U. S. States State of Kansas Symbols of the state of Kansas Great Seal of the State of Kansas Kansas State Flag
29.
Flag of Kentucky
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The flag of the Commonwealth of Kentucky was adopted on March 26,1918. In the early history of the state there were many flags representing various affiliations or countries that came from. A portion of the state was held by the French monarchy until the French, after the war, the land was ceded to Great Britain and the Union Jack flew over the commonwealth until the Revolutionary War. After the Declaration of Independence was signed, Kentucky as a Commonwealth of Virginia flew adopted the flag of Virginia, as the war progressed, Louisville and Lexington adopted the Betsy Ross flag. The rest of the state followed, after the war ended, the Flag of Virginia was restored for a short period of time. Once Kentucky became part of the Union in 1792, the state adopted the 15-star flag of the Union, the U. S. flag was kept as the unofficial state flag for many years that followed. During the American Civil War, the flag of the Confederate States as well as the flag of the Union flew over Kentucky with prominence varying on location, the flag was designed by Jesse Cox Burgess, an art teacher in Frankfort, the state capital. The flag was adopted by the Kentucky General Assembly on March 26,1918, the flag consists of the Commonwealths seal on a navy blue field, surrounded by the words Commonwealth of Kentucky above and sprigs of goldenrod, the state flower, below. The seal depicts a pioneer and a statesman embracing, however, the official explanation is that the men represent all frontiersmen and statesmen, rather than any specific persons. The state motto, United We Stand, Divided We Fall circles them, the motto comes from the lyrics of The Liberty Song, a patriotic song from the American Revolution. In 2001, the North American Vexillological Association surveyed its members on the designs of the 72 Canadian provincial, U. S. state, and U. S. territorial flags, Kentuckys flag was ranked 66th
30.
Flag of Louisiana
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The flag of Louisiana consists of a heraldic charge called a pelican in her piety, representing a mother pelican wounding her breast to feed her young from the blood. The mother pelicans head and outspread wings covering the three pelican chicks nestled below her form a stylized fleur-de-lis, another emblem of similar significance often depicted in Louisiana and this symbol, emblematic of Christian charity, is also found on the state seal. On the flag it is depicted above a ribbon with the motto, Union, Justice. The current flag was adopted in November 2010, a revision of the original design of 1912. During the 19th century it was traditional in Louisiana flags and the seal for the pelican in her piety to have three drops of blood on her chest. The issue was resolved in April 2006, when the Louisiana State Legislature passed a bill which requires three drops of blood to be depicted on the used in both the states flag and seal. The new state flag, featuring a new design, was unveiled during ceremonies of new state officials. In November 2010, the flag was revised again, featuring a more detailed pelican than the one, as well as removing the word. Prior to 1861, the state of Louisiana had no official flag, in February 1861, Louisiana officially adopted a flag with a single yellow star in a red canton, with thirteen red, white and blue stripes. This was used through the end of the American Civil War, on November 22,2010, a new version of the flag bearing an updated version of A Pelican In Her Piety was unveiled. List of Louisiana state symbols Seal of Louisiana Official website
31.
Flag of Maine
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The flag of the state of Maine features the state coat of arms on a blue field. In the center of the shield, a moose rests under a pine tree. A farmer and seaman represent the traditional reliance on agriculture and the sea by the state, the North Star represents the state motto, Dirigo. There are no official colors for the coat of arms, so variations in coloration can be seen in flags from different manufacturers, the blue field, however, is specified to be the same blue as in the flag of the United States. According to the description, the flag should have a fringe of yellow silk and should have a blue. These embellishments are very rarely observed, the North American Vexillological Association conducted a survey in 2001 that ranked Maines current flag as one of the worst in design. Amongst the 72 U. S. state, U. S. territorial and Canadian provincial flags, NAVA criticized the unoriginality of seal on blue bed-sheet design, which is currently used by almost half of the flags of U. S. states. Originally, the flag consisted of a green pine tree, symbol of New England in the center, with a blue North Star. The image to the right contains a reproduction of the 1901 Flag. The reproduction uses the same tree used in the Merchant Marine Flag of Maine. Also, the size of the tree, set to 1/3 the fly, the Maine legislature approved the current flag on February 23,1909. Maine is also one of two states with a separate ensign, which is rarely seen. It features symbols from the current flag and the one, with a white field. The green pine tree has the seamans anchor, and the words MAINE, the flag used by the 20th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment during the American Civil War. Great Seal of the State of Maine Symbols of the state of Maine Maine at Flags of the World Merchant and Marine Flag of Maine at Flags of the World
32.
Flag of Maryland
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The official flag of the state of Maryland consists of the heraldic banner of George Calvert, Lord Baltimore. The flag was adopted by the Maryland General Assembly in 1904. The first Maryland flag design consisted of the Seal of Maryland on a blue background, the black and gold design on the flag is the coat of arms from the Calvert line. It was granted to George Calvert as a reward for his storming a fortification during a battle. The red and white design is the coat of arms of the Crossland line, the family of Lord Baltimores mother, since George Calverts mother was a heiress, he was entitled to use both coats of arms in his banner. It is one of only four U. S. state flags that does not contain the color blue. It is also the only US state flag to be based on English heraldry, although the flag of Washington. The heraldic blazon is, Quarterly, 1st and 4th, paly of six Or and Sable, a bend counterchanged, 2nd and 3rd, quarterly argent and gules, at first, only the gold and black Calvert arms were associated with Maryland, being reintroduced in 1854. The black and gold colors with the design of the Calvert family were used in the flags and devices. After the war, Marylanders who had fought on either side of the returned to their state in need of reconciliation. The present design, which both of the coats of arms used by George Calvert, began appearing. At first, the Crossland coat of arms was put in the upper-left corner, the flag in its present form was first flown on October 11,1880, in Baltimore, at a parade marking the 150th anniversary of the founding of Baltimore. However, it was not officially adopted as the flag until 1904. Section 7-202 of the General Provisions Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland provides, the Maryland Secretary of State publishes a Protocol for the Maryland State Flag which, among other things, specifies the colors of the flag,1.04. In 1945, the Maryland General Assembly made a cross bottony the official ornament for the top of any flagpole carrying the state flag. Some time before October 10,2007, Government House in Annapolis ceased to display the cross bottony at the top of the flag pole, all other state government buildings, including public schools, obey this guideline, but many private individuals and businesses do not. The Calvert and Crossland coats of arms, and the flag itself, have adapted for use in various ways across the state. Beginning on September 9,2008, the University of Maryland painted both end zones at Maryland Stadium with the two patterns
33.
Flag of Massachusetts
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A variant of the white flag with blue seal was carried by each of the Massachusetts volunteer regiments during the Civil War alongside the National Colors. An exception were the two Irish regiments, each of which was permitted to carry a green flag with a harp symbol. The state currently has three flags, a state flag, a naval and maritime flag, and a governors flag. The flag of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts displays, on sides, the state coat of arms centered on a white field. The shield depicts an Algonquian Native American with bow and arrow, the arm itself is the Goliad symbol common in early Texas flags and signifying the philosophy that those represented would rather lose their right arm than live under tyranny. A white star with five points appears next to the figures head, a blue ribbon surrounds the shield, bearing the state motto Ense Petit Placidam, Sub Libertate Quietem. Above the shield is the military crest, the bent arm holding a broadsword aloft. The sword has its blade up, to remind that it was through the American Revolution that liberty was won, the state flag was officially adopted in 1901, but had been used unofficially since the American Revolutionary War as the ensign of the Massachusetts State Navy. In 1971, the pine tree was replaced by the current design. In April 1776, the Massachusetts Navy adopted, as its flag, a white field charged with a pine tree. In 1971 the motto was removed, and the flag was designated the naval, Massachusetts is one of only two states with its own naval ensign — the other is Maine, which was part of Massachusetts until 1820. Flags of the Governors of the U. S
34.
Flag of Michigan
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The flag of the state of Michigan depicts the states coat of arms on a dark blue field, as set forth by Michigan state law. As supporters, the elk and moose are derived from the Hudsons Bay Company coat of arms, the bald eagle represents the United States which formed the State of Michigan from the Northwest Territory. The design features three Latin mottos, from top-to-bottom they are, On red ribbon, E Pluribus Unum, means Out of many, one, a motto of the United States. On light blue shield, Tuebor, means I will defend, on white ribbon, Si Quæris Peninsulam Amœnam Circumspice, means If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you. The present flag, adopted in 1911, is the state flag. The first flag featured a portrait of Michigans first governor, Stevens T. Mason, on one side and the coat of arms and a soldier. The first flag is completely lost, and no images of it exist, the second flag, adopted in 1865, displayed the state coat of arms on one side and the United States coat of arms on the other. In November 2016, a bill was introduced in the Michigan state legislature by Michigan State Senator Steven Bieda that would change the current state flag, If the bill is passed, the current state flag will be discontinued in January 2019 and replaced with a new design. Michigans pledge of allegiance to the flag was written by Harold G. Coburn and was officially adopted as Public Act 165 of 1972. Flags of the Governors of the U. S, States State of Michigan Symbols of the state of Michigan Great Seal of the State of Michigan The State of Michigan The Michigan State Flag
35.
Flag of Minnesota
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The flag of the state of Minnesota consists of a medium blue field charged with the state seal. The current flag was adopted in 1957 and the seal on the flag was modified in 1983. The 1893 flag, designed by the Amelia Hyde Center of Minneapolis, was white on one side, in the center was the state seal wreathed with white moccasin flowers, on a blue field. A red ribbon in the bore a motto, LÉtoile du Nord. The years 1819,1858, and 1893 appeared in gold around the state seal, the flag was adopted on April 4,1893. The blue sits underneath the people which represents how the power is greater than any one man. This made the flag less expensive to manufacture and also more durable in high winds. This opportunity was used to correct an error of the used on the seal, instead of a Pink and White Ladys Slipper. The law creating the 1957 state flag is located in Chapter 1 of the Official State Statutes, the chapter covers state symbols, sovereignty and other general issues. The location of the flag in the statutes is Section 1.141, the statute also requires the Secretary of State to keep a photograph of the official state flag and samples so they can be used by the public to make copies. In Minnesota, desecration of the flag is a misdemeanor offense under State Statute 609.40. In 2001, the Minnesota flag was chosen as one of the ten worst flag designs in a poll conducted by the North American Vexillogical Association
36.
Flag of Mississippi
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The flag of the state of Mississippi was first adopted by the U. S. state of Mississippi in April 1894, replacing the flag that had been adopted in 1861. The flag was subsequently repealed in 1906 but remained in de facto use, when a referendum failed for a new design in April 2001, the state legislature voted to readopt the historic design that same month. Since Georgia adopted a new flag in 2001, the Mississippi flag is the only U. S. state flag to include the Confederate battle flags saltire. The statute is part of the set of statutes that governs the curriculum of the states public schools. Section 37-13-7 provides, The pledge of allegiance to the Mississippi flag shall be taught in the schools of this state. Prior to 1861 Mississippi, like most U. S. states, had no state flag. Later that night residents of Jackson paraded through the streets under the banner, harry McCarthy, a singer and playwright who observed the parade, was inspired to write The Bonnie Blue Flag, which, after Dixie, was the most popular song in the Confederacy. The first official flag of Mississippi was known as the Magnolia Flag and it was the official flag of the state from 1861 until 1865. It remained in use as a flag until 1894, when the current state flag was first adopted. On January 26 the delegates to the Secession Convention approved the report of a committee that had been appointed to design a coat of arms. Due to time constraints and the pressure to raise “means for the defense of the state, ” the delegates neglected to adopt the flag officially in January but did so when they reassembled in March. The Magnolia Flag was not widely used or displayed during the Civil War, the Magnolia Flag remained the official state flag of Mississippi until 1865. Among those repealed was the ordinance adopting a coat of arms, in 1906 Mississippi adopted a revised legal code that repealed all general laws that were not reenacted by the legislature or brought forward in the new code. The 1906 legal code did not bring forward the law created an official state flag. Because of this oversight, likely inadvertent, the state of Mississippi did not have a state flag from 1906-2001. Nonetheless, the 1894 flag continued to be used as the de facto state flag until it was readopted by the state legislature on April 17,2001. There had been widespread protests by some African-American and other rights groups about adopting the flag with the Confederate emblem. The Mississippi Code of 1972, in Title 3, Chapter 3, describes the flag as follows, in 2000 the Supreme Court of Mississippi ruled that the state legislature in 1906 had repealed the adoption of the state flag in 1894
37.
Flag of Missouri
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The permanency, vigilance, and justice of the state. The three colors also highlight the French influence on the state in its early years, the flag was made the official flag of the state on March 22,1913, when then governor Elliot Woolfolk Major signed a bill making it official. The Missourian state flag was designed and stitched in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, by Marie Elizabeth Watkins Oliver and she wrote each states secretary of state for information about how their states flags had been designed and officially adopted. Her original design incorporated Missouris coat of arms and was rendered as a painted paper flag by her friend Mary Kochitzky. The flag was brought to the Missouri State Capitol in 1908 and bills to adopt the flag as the flag of Missouri were introduced by Senator Arthur L. Oliver, her nephew. Both bills failed to pass in the House, a competing flag design, by Dr. G. H. Holcomb and referred to as the Holcomb flag, was opposed due to its resemblance to the Flag of the United States, olivers original paper flag was destroyed when the Missouri State Capitol burned in 1911. MacFarland, Oliver sewed a second out of silk. Her design was adopted on March 22,1913 when governor Elliot Woolfolk Major signed the Oliver Flag Bill, the flag design remains unchanged to this day. The silk flag was kept by Marie Oliver until 1961 when her son Allen gave it to the State of Missouri, the flag was displayed until it began to deteriorate and was put into storage. In 1988, Secretary of State Roy D, blunt issued a challenge to elementary students to raise money to restore the flag. The campaign was successful and the flag has been displayed in the James C. Kirkpatrick State Information Center in Jefferson City ever since. The Oliver-Leming House, also known as the Home of the Missouri State Flag, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, the flag is a tricolor consisting of three horizontal stripes of red, white and blue. These represent valor, purity, vigilance, and justice, the colors also reflect the states historic status as part of the French Louisiana. In the center stripe is the Seal of Missouri, circled by a blue band containing 24 stars. The flag is described in Section 010.020 of Missouris Revised Statutes, in 2001, the North American Vexillological Association surveyed its members on the designs of the 72 U. S. state, U. S. territorial and Canadian provincial flags. The Missouri flag ranked in the bottom 25, 48th out of the 72, the Great Seal of the State of Missouri, which dominates the flag has many special meanings of its own. Robert Wells, who was a lawyer, state legislator and a judge, the seal shows, by its helmet and buckled belt, that although Missouri is a strong state, it wants to be free to handle its own problems
38.
Flag of Montana
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The flag of the state of Montana consists of the image of the Montanan state seal centered on a blue field. Within the seal, a plow, shovel, and pick rest in a field in front of the Great Falls of the Missouri River, the ribbon contains the state motto, Oro y plata. The current flag was adopted in 1905, and the word Montana above the seal was added in 1981, in 1985, the flag was again modified to specify the font used in Montana, Helvetica Bold. Before it was adopted as a flag, it was used by Montana troops deploying for the Spanish/American War. Georgias flag was named the worst, but has since been changed, NAVA stated that about half of U. S. states used blue fields making them difficult to distinguish and the survey ranked flags with words and complex seals the lowest. State of Montana Symbols of the state of Montana Great Seal of the State of Montana Symbols of Montana
39.
Flag of Nebraska
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The flag of the state of Nebraska is a blue rectangular cloth charged with the Nebraskan state seal. The current design was adopted in 1925, although a design in 1921 from an architect based in the U. S. state of New York was rejected by the Nebraska state government. The official designation of the design as the flag occurred in 1963. The Nebraskan flag was rated in a survey by the North American Vexillological Association as the second-worst of 72 U. S. the worst-ranked flag, the flag of Georgia at the time, was temporary and has since been changed. In 2002, the Nebraska Legislatures Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee discussed a bill that would have created a commission that would suggest new flag designs to the Legislature. In 2017, State Senator Burke Harr proposed a task force charged with redesigning the flag, Harr wished for the redesign to come through by the States 150th anniversary. The State Senate committee declined to take action, list of Nebraska state symbols Seal of Nebraska Nebraska Secretary of State, History of the Nebraska State Flag
40.
Flag of Nevada
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The flag of the U. S. state of Nevada consists of a cobalt blue field with a variant of the states emblem in the upper left hand corner. The emblem contains a star, below which appears the states name. Above the star is a scroll with the words Battle Born. Below the star and state name are two sprays of green sagebrush with yellow flowers, the first flag of Nevada was created by Governor John Sparks and Col. Harry Day in 1905. It was based strongly on Nevadas natural resources of gold and silver, the blue of the flag was based directly on the color of the flag of the United States. The current flag had its origin in a design contest announced in 1926, a compromise was reached, and in 1929 Governor Fred B. Balzar signed into law a bill adopting the new flag, in 1989, however, a legislative researcher discovered that the bill as sent to and signed by the Governor did not accurately reflect the 1929 legislative agreement. Thus Nevada was spelt from the N at the top, radiating clockwise E, V, A, D, A, a law enacted in 1991 directed that the word Nevada appear below the star and above the sagebrush sprays, thus producing the current design. In 2001, the North American Vexillological Association surveyed its members on the designs of the 72 U. S. state, U. S. territorial, nAVAs members ranked Nevadas flag 55th out of the 72. Flags of governors of the U. S. states State of Nevada Symbols of the state of Nevada Great Seal of the State of Nevada Nevada State Archivists account of the history of the flag
41.
Flag and seal of New Hampshire
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The state of New Hampshire has held two seals since it declared its independence from Great Britain on January 5,1776. While both seals have been retained, most people are familiar with the Great Seal due to its corporate use. New Hampshires state seal depicts the frigate USS Raleigh and is surrounded by a wreath with nine stars. The Raleigh is one of the first 13 warships sponsored by the Continental Congress for a new American navy, built in 1776, the seal is surrounded by a laurel wreath. The wreath is an ancient symbol of fame, honor, the nine stars within the wreath show that New Hampshire was the ninth state to join the Union. Over the years, various items for shipment were also shown on the dock in the seal. In 1919, New Hampshire Historical Society Director Otis G. Hammond, on the order of the Governor and Executive Council of New Hampshire, wrote a history of the state seal and flag. In 1931, after Governor John G. Winant began his second term, the General Court approved the committees recommendations, later enacting a law codifying the official design of the state seal. The 1931 State Seal law placed the frigate Raleigh as the centerpiece of the new seal, the Raleigh was built in Portsmouth in 1776, as one of the first 13 warships sponsored by the Continental Congress for a new American navy. The law declared the seal to be 2 inches in diameter bearing the new inscription, SEAL • OF • THE • STATE • OF • NEW HAMPSHIRE, the law also declared that only a granite boulder could be shown in the foreground. The flag of the state of New Hampshire consists of the state centered on a blue background. On July 1,1774, the First Provincial Congress met for the first time in Exeter, the fish and pine represented the main trade of the colony and the five arrows represented each of the five counties. The seal bore the inscription, COLONY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE * VIS UNITA FORTIOR, the motto was meant to unify the counties and was never officially proclaimed, but was used during the American Revolution until 1784. While no official document prescribing the seal has been located, the first record of the seal is found on commissions issued to officers by the Provincial Congress dated September 1,1775. The last known use of the seal was on an act of the General Assembly on July 5,1776 and it is believed that the die used to affix the seal was designed during the summer of 1776. The first state seal was officially prescribed in an act passed September 12,1776, the seal is still used by some members of the General Court, though there is no current statute governing its design or use. The size of the seal was increased to 1¾ inches, and comprised a pine tree, the design reflected the states then two major economic resources, and the arrows symbolized the strength of unity among the then five counties. The seal bears the inscription, SIGILL, REI - PUB, NEOHANTONI, State of New Hampshire Category, Symbols of New Hampshire New Hampshire Revised Statutes Annotated 3,9 State Seal New Hampshire Almanac - State Seal Anderson, Leon
42.
Flag and coat of arms of New Jersey
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The coat of arms of the state of New Jersey includes, A shield with three plows, representative of New Jerseys agricultural tradition. A horses head as the crest of the helmet, the female figures Liberty and Ceres, representative of the states motto. Liberty is holding a staff supporting a liberty cap, Ceres is holding an overflowing cornucopia, the streamer at the foot of the emblem contains the State Motto of New Jersey, Liberty and Prosperity, and the year of statehood,1776. It was originally designed by Pierre Eugene du Simitiere in 1777 and was modified slightly in 1928, the seal is the central motif in the flag of New Jersey and the Great Seal of the State of New Jersey. The two Goddesses represent the motto, Liberty and Prosperity. She is holding a staff with a liberty cap on it, the goddess on the right is Ceres, goddess of agriculture. She is holding a cornucopia with prosperity written below her, buff-colored facings had until then been reserved only for his own uniform and those of other Continental generals and their aides. Many of which show the underskirt in blue and not argent. The flag of the state of New Jersey includes the coat of arms of the state on a buff-colored background, in a 1965 law, the specific color shades of Jersey blue and buff were defined by the state. Using the Cable color system developed by The Color Association of the United States,70087, buff was defined as Cable No.65015. In 2001, the North American Vexillological Association surveyed its members on the designs of the 72 U. S. state, U. S. territorial, the survey ranked the flag of New Jersey 46 out of the 72
43.
Flag of New Mexico
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The flag of the U. S. state of New Mexico consists of a red sun symbol of the Zia on a field of yellow, and was officially introduced in 1925. It was designed in 1920, to highlight the states Native American Pueblo, the colors evoke the flags of Habsburg Spain and the Crown of Aragon, brought by the conquistadors. It is one of four U. S. state flags not to contain the color blue, the flag of the District of Columbia also has no blue. The Daughters of the American Revolution pushed New Mexico to design a contemporary, a contest to design the new state flag was won by Harry Mera of Santa Fe, New Mexico. Mera was an archaeologist who was familiar with the Zia Sun symbol found at Zia Pueblo on a 19th-century pot, the symbol has sacred meaning to the Zia. Four is a number which symbolizes the Circle of Life, the four directions, the four times of day, the four stages of life. The circle binds the four elements of four together and his winning design is the flag that the state uses today. For the first 14 years of statehood, New Mexico had no official flag, during the San Diego Worlds Fair of 1915, the fair featured an exhibit hall in which all the state flags were displayed. Some historical references also show the words The Sunshine State wrapped around the seal in the right corner. Said flag shall be the ancient Zia sun symbol of red in the center of a field of yellow, the colors shall be the red and yellow of old Spain. The proportion of the flag shall be a width of two-thirds its length, the sun symbol shall be one-third of the length of the flag. Said symbol shall have four groups of rays set at angles, each group shall consist of four rays. The diameter of the circle in the center of the symbol shall be one-third of the width of the symbol, said flag shall conform in color and design described herein. The pledge to the flag is available in English and Spanish, I salute the flag of the state of New Mexico. Saludo la bandera del estado de Nuevo Mejico, el simbolo zia de amistad perfecta, New Mexico has the best-designed flag of any U. S. state, territory or Canadian province, according to a 2001 survey by the North American Vexillological Association. State of New Mexico Symbols of the state of New Mexico Great Seal of the State of New Mexico Navajo Nation Flag New Mexico State Symbols
44.
Coat of arms of New York
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The coat of arms of the state of New York was formally adopted in 1778, and appears as a component of the states flag and seal. The shield displays a ship and a sloop on the Hudson River, bordered by a grassy shore. The unheraldic nature of the Hudson River landscape reveals the origin of the design. The shield has two supporters, Left, Liberty, with the Revolutionary imagery of a Phrygian cap raised on a pole and her left foot treads upon a crown that represents freedom from the British monarchy that once ruled what is now New York as a colony. Right, Justice, wearing a blindfold and holding scales and a sword, a banner below the shield shows the motto Excelsior, a Latin word meaning higher, superior, lordly, commonly translated as Ever Upward. The shield is surmounted by a crest consisting of an eagle surmounting a world globe, the flag of the state of New York is the coat of arms on a solid blue background. The state seal of New York is the coat of arms surrounded by the words The Great Seal of the State of New York, the official blazon for the coat of arms is, Charge. On a wreath azure and or, an American eagle proper, rising to the dexter from a two-thirds of a globe terrestrial, on a quasi compartment formed by the extension of the scroll. On a scroll below the shield argent, in sable, Excelsior, according to Joseph Gavit in New York History, Volume XXXI, the seal symbolizes the following, In the center, a shield reveals the sun rising behind Mount Beacon over the Hudson River. The shield symbolizes in the sun the name and idea of Old York and the old world. To the right, Justice is ready to fight tyranny with her sword held high, Liberty on the left, holds her foot on the overthrown English Crown. This New York is supported by Justice and Liberty, and discards monarchy, the world globe is displayed above the shield. By exhibiting the eastern and western continents on the globe, the old and new are brought together, while the eagle on the crest proclaims, Westward the course of empire takes its way. The bottom ribbon exclaims Excelsior, which means still higher or ever upward, the coat of arms of the state flag was adopted in 1778 and the present flag is a modern version of a Revolutionary War flag. The original is at the Albany Institute of History & Art, the legislature changed the field of the flag from buff to blue by a law enacted on April 2,1901. In 2001, the North American Vexillological Association surveyed its members on the designs of the 72 U. S. state, U. S. territorial, after the survey was completed, NAVA members chose the flag of New York to be ranked 53rd out of the 72. State of New York Symbols of the state of New York Flags of the Governors of the U. S, states New York State Flag The Great Seal of the State of New York STATE SEAL
45.
Flag of North Carolina
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Both dates also appear on the Great Seal of North Carolina. The red field of the old flag was replaced by a blue field and this was the first and only flag formally representing the state of North Carolina and is not considered to be a Confederate Flag, but rather the first state flag. During the American Civil War, secessionist leaders spoke of the Mecklenburg Declaration with reverence, the General Assembly of North Carolina adopted an official salute to the flag in 2007. It reads, Official website of the State of North Carolina
46.
Flag of North Dakota
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The design for the flag of the state of North Dakota is an almost exact copy of the unit banner carried by the states troop contingent in the Philippine–American War. It was adopted by the North Dakota Legislative Assembly on March 3,1911, legislation in 1943 brought the flag in line with the original troop banner, which is on display at the North Dakota Heritage Center in Bismarck. The flag also resembles the Great Seal of the United States, in 2001, the North American Vexillological Association surveyed its members on the designs of the 72 U. S. state, U. S. territorial and Canadian provincial flags. NAVA members ranked North Dakotas flag 56th out of the 72, the flags official proportions are 33,26, significantly shorter than many other state flags, however, in practice, the flag is produced and sold in 5,3 ratios. Flags of the Governors of the U. S, States State of North Dakota Symbols of the state of North Dakota Great Seal of the State of North Dakota Information about flag - State of North Dakota official website
47.
Flag of Ohio
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The Ohio Burgee is the official flag of the U. S. state of Ohio. Ohios swallowtail flag is the only non-rectangular U. S. state flag and its red, white, and blue elements symbolize the states natural features and order of admission into the Union. A prominent disc in the flags triangular canton is suggestive of the states name, the flag was designed in 1901 by John Eisenmann for the Pan-American Exposition and adopted in 1902. Ironically, the Pan-American Exposition would be where President William McKinley, before that, for nearly a century after statehood, Ohio had no legally authorized state flag. One unsuccessful proposal called for a design based on the state seal, Ohio has adopted an official salute to the flag and a 17-step procedure for folding it. The Ohio flag has influenced a number of logos and municipal flags within the state, a scarlet-colored gubernatorial flag is based on the state seal. The Ohio state flags design is defined in the Ohio Revised Code, section 5.01 and it shall have three red and two white horizontal stripes that represent the roads and waterways of the state. The stars shall be grouped around a red disc superimposed upon a white circular O, the O represents the O in Ohio and suggests the states nickname, the buckeye state. The proportional dimensions of the flag and of its various parts shall be according to the design on file in the office of the secretary of state. In addition to resembling the letter O and a buckeye nut, Ohios flag is the only non-rectangular U. S. state flag. It is an example of a non-quadrilateral civil flag, another well-known example being the flag of Nepal. According to vexillologist Whitney Smith, it may be based upon cavalry flags of the Civil War. The flag has been defined as a burgee since 2002. Its shape, lack of text, and mirror symmetry allow it to be flown or hung in various orientations without affecting legibility, on account of the flags uncommon shape, foreign manufacturers have occasionally set the entire design against a white, rectangular field. For nearly a century after statehood, Ohio had no legally authorized state flag, the state militia carried regimental colors based on the Stars and Stripes, with the addition of a large eagle, with the number of the regiment and the prescribed number of stars above. By the early 1850s, Ohioans expressed interest in adopting a state flag, mr. Gen. David L. Wood and Adj. Carrington devised a flag consisting of the seal upon a white field. They had it flown above the Ohio State Arsenal in Columbus, the generals, in attendance, were moved to set aside their proposal and hoist the Stars and Stripes in its place
48.
Flag of Oklahoma
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The flag of the state of Oklahoma consists of a traditional Osage Nation buffalo-skin shield with seven eagle feathers on a sky blue field. The Osage shield is covered by two symbols of peace, the Plains-style ceremonial pipe representing Native Americans, and the olive branch representing European Americans, six golden brown crosses, Native American symbols for stars, are spaced on the shield. The blue field is inspired by the Choctaw flag adopted by the tribe in 1860, the blue field also represents devotion. The shield surmounted by the calumet and olive branch represents defensive or protective warfare, showing a love of peace by a united people. In 2001, a survey conducted by the North American Vexillological Association placed Oklahomas flag 39th in design quality out of the 72 Canadian provincial, U. S. state and U. S. territory flags ranked. The state legislature adopted the salute to the flag in 1982, I salute the Flag of the State of Oklahoma. Oklahomas first flag was adopted in 1911, four years after statehood, taking the colors red, white, and blue from the flag of the United States, the flag featured a large centered white star fimbriated in blue on a red field. The number 46 was written in blue inside the star, as Oklahoma was the state to join the Union. A contest, sponsored by the Daughters of the American Revolution, was held in 1924 to replace the flag, the winning entry by Louise Fluke, which was adopted as the state flag on April 2,1925, resembled the current flag without the word Oklahoma on it. That word was added in 1941 in an effort to combat widespread illiteracy and these unauthorized flags displayed stylized eagle feathers, incorrectly shaped crosses, an incorrectly shaped calument, wrong colors, or combinations of these and other errors. A new specialty license plate honoring the first flag was authorized by the legislature, a minimum of 100 pre-orders were required and fulfilled. Flags of the U. S. states History of the flags of the United States State of Oklahoma Symbols of the state of Oklahoma Great Seal of the state of Oklahoma Hickam, the State Flag of Oklahoma, Chronicles of Oklahoma, Vol.9, No. Oklahoma at Flags of the World
49.
Flag of Oregon
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The flag of the state of Oregon is a two-sided flag in navy blue and gold with an optional gold fringe. On the front is the escutcheon from the seal and on the reverse is a gold figure of a beaver. Oregon is the state to feature a double-sided flag. The current flag of Oregon became official on February 26,1925, what is believed to be the first flag of Oregon produced was made that year by Meier & Frank, sewn by Marjorie Kennedy and Blanche Cox, employees of the department store. That flag was donated to Eastern Oregon University in 1954 by the grandson of former governor Walter M. Pierce, in 2010, the flag was restored. The current state flag was rated in a survey by the North American Vexillological Association as 62nd out of the 72 U. S. state, U. S. territorial, for the Oregon Sesquicentennial in 2013, The Oregonian created a statewide contest to redesign the state flag. The newspaper collected and published the entries with the voting on the winning design. The winning design was created by Randall Gray, a map maker for Clackamas County, in his design, Gray emphasized the beaver found on the current flags reverse. The star represents Oregons place in the Union while the green represents the natural wilderness and forests of Oregon. After the contest had started with votes being cast, there were requests for the Oregonian to add an 11th option, NONE OF THE ABOVE, meaning, in the final tally of votes, NONE received the most votes. In 2013, a bill was introduced to the Oregon Senate that would have several changes to the flag design, however. This bill was sponsored by state Senator Laurie Monnes Anderson, on behalf of Gresham resident Matt Norquist, the bill describes the proposed design as follows, The flag field is navy blue with all lettering and symbols in gold, representing the state colors of Oregon. On the obverse, the legend STATE OF OREGON is written above an escutcheon, the shield is surrounded by 33 stars, representing Oregons admission to the Union as the 33rd state. Below the shield is written 1859, the year in which Oregon became a state, Oregons flag is the last remaining state flag in the U. S. in which the obverse and reverse sides have different designs. Paraguay is the country that still has a two-sided flag. Two-sided flags were previously common, but have been reduced due to increased costs of manufacturing a flag with two different designs. On the reverse of the flag is a depiction, also in gold, of a beaver, for dress or parade use, the flag may feature a gold fringe. For standard use, no fringe is required, the ratio of the flags width to its length is 3,5
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