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
Glossary of vexillology
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Contents
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
Civil flag
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Argentina
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
State flag
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The
Flag of Massachusetts on display in the
Financial District of
Boston.
4.
Minnesota
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Minnesota is a state in the midwestern and northern regions of the United States. Minnesota was admitted as the 32nd U. S. state on May 11,1858, the state has a large number of lakes, and is known by the slogan Land of 10,000 Lakes. Its official motto is LÉtoile du Nord, Minnesota is the 12th largest in area and the 21st most populous of the U. S. Minnesota is known for its progressive political orientation and its high rate of civic participation and voter turnout. Until European settlement, Minnesota was inhabited by the Dakota and Ojibwe/Anishinaabe, in recent decades, immigration from Asia, the Horn of Africa, and Latin America has broadened its historic demographic and cultural composition. Minnesotas standard of living index is among the highest in the United States, Native Americans demonstrated the name to early settlers by dropping milk into water and calling it mnisota. Many places in the state have similar names, such as Minnehaha Falls, Minneiska, Minneota, Minnetonka, Minnetrista, and Minneapolis, a combination of mni and polis, Minnesota is the second northernmost U. S. state. Its isolated Northwest Angle in Lake of the Woods county is the part of the 48 contiguous states lying north of the 49th parallel. The state is part of the U. S. region known as the Upper Midwest and it shares a Lake Superior water border with Michigan and a land and water border with Wisconsin to the east. Iowa is to the south, North Dakota and South Dakota are to the west, with 86,943 square miles, or approximately 2.25 percent of the United States, Minnesota is the 12th-largest state. Minnesota has some of the Earths oldest rocks, gneisses that are about 3.6 billion years old. About 2.7 billion years ago, basaltic lava poured out of cracks in the floor of the primordial ocean, the roots of these volcanic mountains and the action of Precambrian seas formed the Iron Range of northern Minnesota. Following a period of volcanism 1, in more recent times, massive ice sheets at least one kilometer thick ravaged the landscape of the state and sculpted its terrain. The Wisconsin glaciation left 12,000 years ago and these glaciers covered all of Minnesota except the far southeast, an area characterized by steep hills and streams that cut into the bedrock. This area is known as the Driftless Zone for its absence of glacial drift, much of the remainder of the state outside the northeast has 50 feet or more of glacial till left behind as the last glaciers retreated. Gigantic Lake Agassiz formed in the northwest 13,000 years ago and its bed created the fertile Red River valley, and its outflow, glacial River Warren, carved the valley of the Minnesota River and the Upper Mississippi downstream from Fort Snelling. Minnesota is geologically quiet today, it experiences earthquakes infrequently, the states high point is Eagle Mountain at 2,301 feet, which is only 13 miles away from the low of 601 feet at the shore of Lake Superior. Notwithstanding dramatic local differences in elevation, much of the state is a rolling peneplain. Two major drainage divides meet in Minnesotas northeast in rural Hibbing, forming a triple watershed, precipitation can follow the Mississippi River south to the Gulf of Mexico, the Saint Lawrence Seaway east to the Atlantic Ocean, or the Hudson Bay watershed to the Arctic Ocean
Minnesota
Minnesota
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Flag
Minnesota
Minnesota
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Eagle Mountain, the highest natural point in Minnesota at 2,301 feet (701 m) is located in northeastern part of the state.
5.
Seal of Minnesota
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The Great Seal of the State of Minnesota is the state seal of the U. S. state of Minnesota. Originally adopted in 1858, it has undergone several alterations since then, the sun, visible on the western horizon, signifies summer in the northern hemisphere. The horizons visibility signifies the flat plains covering much of Minnesota, the American Indian on horseback is riding towards the south and represents the American Indian heritage of Minnesota. The Indians horse and spear and the Pioneers ax, rifle, the stump symbolizes the importance of the lumber industry in Minnesotas history. The Mississippi River and St. Anthony Falls are depicted to note the importance of resources in transportation. The cultivated ground and the plow symbolize the importance of agriculture in Minnesota, beyond the falls three pine trees represent the state tree and the three pine regions of Minnesota, the St. Croix, Mississippi, and Lake Superior. In the original version, the Indian is dressed in his war costumes while the farmer is in the field with his firearm, there seems to have been great tension between certain tribes of the Sioux and the settlers. The Indians Revenge by Alexander Berghold, writes about an outbreak of Indian attacks which started much as the scene in the original seal. The author makes the statement that after the attacks, settlers were allowed to kill any Sioux that was found in a settlement and he goes on to say, The seal of the State, therefore, seems very appropriate. The first seal was adopted in 1858 and the attacks were in 1862
Seal of Minnesota
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Historical coat of arms (illustrated, 1876)
Seal of Minnesota
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Great Seal of the State of Minnesota
6.
William Merriam
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William Rush Merriam was an American politician. The son of Minnesota House Speaker John L. Merriam, he served in the Minnesota House of Representatives in 1883 and 1887 and was the Speaker of the House in 1887 and he served as the 11th Governor of Minnesota from January 9,1889 to January 4,1893. By 1888 a split in the state Republican Party was reflected in a selection of a gubernatorial candidate. Merriams re-election campaign two years later was affected by another, more widespread phenomenon, the Farmers Alliance and this third party of disaffected Republicans and Democrats was dedicated to promoting the commercial and social interests of agrarian America. Merriam defeated the Alliance candidate in 1890, but the party significantly eroded his plurality. As governor, Merriam was a thrifty executive who was interested in limiting spending than in legislative reform. The most notable legacy of his administration was the adoption of the Australian ballot, in his private life, the sociable Merriam was keen on sports, owned horses, and was said to possess good nature, gracious manners, and an attractive personality. Merriams final accomplishment was appropriate for a banker and businessman who could work well with people and numbers. He was director of the national census and later persuaded Congress to establish a permanent Census Bureau. Merriam never returned to Minnesota, but retired instead to Florida and his three-quarter portrait by the Swiss born American artist Adolfo Müller-Ury was painted in 1892. This and a portrait of his wife were exhibited in St. Paul in that year, a small, bust-length portrait, is now in the collection of the Newport Preservation Society, Rhode Island, it was formerly in the collections of Jessica Dragonette and the University of Wyoming. Müller-Ury is also known to have painted a portrait of their son Amherst Merriam as a baby, biographical information and his gubernatorial records are available for research use at the Minnesota Historical Society
William Merriam
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William Rush Merriam
William Merriam
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Merriam hunting with Horace Thompson.
7.
Cypripedium acaule
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Cypripedium acaule is a member of the orchid genus Cypripedium. Members of this genus are referred to as ladys slipper orchids. First described in 1789 by Scottish botanist William Aiton, C. acaule is commonly referred to as the ladys slipper, stemless ladys-slipper. The pink ladys slipper is the flower of Prince Edward Island, Canada. Unlike most other species of Cypripedium, the pouch of C. acaule opens in a slit that runs down the front of the rather than a round opening. The plant consists of two leaves near the ground. From between those leaves sprouts a long, pubescent stalk that bears a pink flower. The sepals and petals tend to be yellowish-brown to maroon with a pouch that is usually some shade of pink. The white pouched-green petaled forma alba can occasionally be found mixed in with normal populations, seed germination labs have increased the commercial availability of C. acaule, although it still tends to be less commonly available than other Cyp species and hybrids. This is primarily due to the care that must be provided if the growing site is not naturally suitable for in-ground cultivation. This plant grows in soils below a pH of 5, often at 4-4.5, at this high acidity soil fungus is suppressed, and acaule can thrive. There is even evidence that it is partially myco-heterotrophic by parasitizing fungus that attempts to invade its roots, however, above pH5 the soil microbes become more than acaule can manage and the plants rot. Seedlings germinated in an environment can grow and thrive in a much higher pH than 5. For artificial cultivation container culture is a must, and the medium must be naturally acidic. Additionally, all other soil additives must be devoid of any calcium that could buffer the pH to above 5, high quality peat moss or pine duff work well, and pH neutral perlite can be added to improve porosity. Due to the risk of calcium bicarbonate, tap water is unsuitable, rainwater or distilled water mixed with 2 ounces of vinegar per gallon will assure that a reliably high acidity is maintained in the growing medium. Give bright dappled shade or morning sun, sink pots in winter or store in a cold frame for insulation. Given these conditions acaule can thrive indefinitely, but will require much more maintenance than other species/hybrids that can be grown in a wider pH range
Cypripedium acaule
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Pink lady's slipper Moccasin flower Two-leaved lady's slipper Stemless lady's-slipper
Cypripedium acaule
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Cypripedium acaule var. alba
8.
Fort Snelling
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Fort Snelling, originally known as Fort Saint Anthony, was a military fortification located at the confluence of Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers in Hennepin County, Minnesota. Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, a National Park Service unit, Fort Snelling also refers to an unorganized territory in Hennepin County, Minnesota, containing the former fortification. The Census in 2000 enumerated a population of 442. The Minnesota Historical Society now runs the fort, located atop a bluff along the river, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources runs Fort Snelling State Park, protecting the land at the bottom of the bluff. Fort Snelling once encompassed both parcels, the fort is a National Historic Landmark and has been named a national treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Lieutenant Zebulon Pike in 1805 acquired Pikes Purchase for the United States, significant settlement began in the late 1810s. Following the War of 1812, the United States Department of War built a chain of forts and these forts primarily protected the northwestern territories from Canadian and British encroachment. The Army founded Fort Saint Anthony in 1819, colonel Josiah Snelling commanded the 5th Infantry Regiment. Its soldiers constructed the original Fort Saint Anthony from 1820 to 1824, during construction, most soldiers lived at Camp Coldwater, which provided drinking water to the fort throughout the 19th century. The post surgeon began recording meteorological observations at Fort Saint Anthony in January 1820, upon its completion in 1825, the Army renamed the fort as Fort Snelling in honor of its commander and architect. At Fort Snelling, the garrison attempted to keep the peace between the Dakota people. Colonel Snelling suffered from dysentery, and bouts of the illness made him susceptible to anger. Recalled to Washington, he left Fort Snelling in September 1827, colonel Snelling died in summer 1828 from complications due to dysentery and a brain fever. John Marsh, a native of Danvers, Massachusetts, came to the fort during the early 1820s, at the fort, he set up the first school for children of the officers. He also developed a relationship with the local Sioux tribe. He had been studying medicine at Harvard for two years before deciding to leave school without earning a degree and he used this opportunity to read medicine under the tutelage of the post physician, Dr. Purcell. The physician died before Marsh completed the course, so he still had no medical degree. In 1830 Fort Snelling was the birthplace of John Taylor Wood, John Emerson purchased the slave Dred Scott in Saint Louis, Missouri, but he later worked and lived at Fort Snelling during much of the 1830s, having brought Dred and his wife Harriet Scott with him
Fort Snelling
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Fort Snelling
Fort Snelling
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Fort Snelling in 1844, by John Caspar Wild (Minnesota Historical Society)
Fort Snelling
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Fort Snelling Administration building, built 1878
Fort Snelling
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Bridge linking Ft. Snelling with
St. Paul, 1880–1912
9.
Thirteen Colonies
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The Thirteen Colonies were a group of British colonies on the east coast of North America founded in the 17th and 18th centuries that declared independence in 1776 and formed the United States. The Thirteen Colonies had very similar political, constitutional, and legal systems and they were part of Britains possessions in the New World, which also included colonies in present-day Canada and the Caribbean, as well as East and West Florida. However, the Thirteen Colonies had a degree of self-government and active local elections. In the 1750s, the colonies began collaborating with each other instead of dealing directly with Britain, Colonial decisions were subject to approval by the governor and the home government. There were also substantial populations of African slaves in some of the colonies, especially Virginia, the Carolinas, the names of the colonies were chosen by the founders and proprietors, subject to royal approval, and given in the founding charters. Nine of the thirteen chose to include in their names the term Province of, later residents tended to drop the ambiguous terminology, as in the map shown in the article Province of New Jersey, which is labeled simply East Jersey and West Jersey. In July 1776, they formed a new nation called the United States of America, the new nation achieved that goal by winning the American Revolutionary War with the aid of France, the Netherlands, and Spain. The American flag features thirteen horizontal stripes which represent these original thirteen colonies, besides these thirteen colonies, Britain had another dozen in the New World. Those in the British West Indies, Newfoundland, the Province of Quebec, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Bermuda, and East and West Florida remained loyal to the crown throughout the war. The British crown had recently acquired those lands, and many of the issues facing the Thirteen Colonies did not apply to them, especially in the case of Quebec. Contemporary documents usually list the thirteen colonies of British North America in geographical order, the consolidation collapsed after the Glorious Revolution of 1688–89, and the nine former colonies re-established their separate identities in 1689. Massachusetts Bay Colony Settled in 1630 by Puritans from England, the colonial charter was revoked in 1684, and a new charter was issued in 1691 establishing an enlarged Province of Massachusetts Bay. Province of Maine Settled in 1622, the Massachusetts Bay Colony claimed the Maine territory in the 1650s, then limited to present-day southernmost Maine. Parts of Maine east of the Kennebec River were also part of New York in the half of the 17th century. These areas were made part of the Province of Massachusetts Bay in the charter of 1691. Plymouth Colony Settled in 1620 by the Pilgrims, plymouth was merged into the Province of Massachusetts Bay in the charter of 1691. Saybrook Colony Founded in 1635 and merged with Connecticut Colony in 1644, New Haven Colony Settled in late 1637. New Netherland Extensive region centered about New Amsterdam at the tip of Manhattan Island
Thirteen Colonies
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Join, or Die by
Benjamin Franklin was recycled to encourage the former colonies to unite against British rule.
Thirteen Colonies
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Map of the thirteen original colonies as published for the US Centennial in 1876
10.
Cypripedium reginae
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The Showy Ladys-slipper, also known as the Pink-and-white Ladys-slipper or the Queens Ladys-slipper, is a rare, terrestrial, temperate, ladys-slipper orchid native to northern North America. Although never common, this plant has vanished from much of its historical range due to habitat loss. It has been a subject of horticultural interest for years with Charles Darwin who like many, were unsuccessful in cultivating the plant. It is the flower of Minnesota, United States, and is the provincial flower of the province of Prince Edward Island. The species name reginae is Latin for of a queen, common names include Fairy Queen, Queens Lady Slipper, Showy Ladys Slipper, White Wing Moccasin, Royal Ladys Slipper Female, Nervine and Silver-Slipper. The plant became the flower of Minnesota in 1902 and was protected by state law in 1925. It is illegal to pick or uproot a Showy Ladys Slipper flower in Minnesota, the Lady Slipper is honored in Taunton, Massachusetts by a sign inscribed Lady Slipper Grove and a brook named Lady Slipper Brook on Misty Lane in the cities Oakland, Massachusetts area. The Lady Slipper blooms near the brook every few years in about April-May, Cypripedium reginae grows in wetlands such as fens and open wooded swamps that are sometimes populated by tamarack and black spruce. Cyp. reginae thrives in neutral to basic soils but can be found in acidic conditions. The plants often form in clumps by branching of the underground rhizomes and its roots are typically within a few inches of the top of the soil. It prefers very loose soils and when growing in fens it will most often be found in mossy hummocks and this photo, taken in a forested, calcareous fen in Williamstown, MA, is only one of 14 occurrences currently documented in the state. The increasing rarity of plant is attributable to destruction of a suitable alkaline habitat –. It can tolerate full sun but prefers partial shade for part of the day. When exposed to sun, the flower lip is somewhat bleached. It is occasionally eaten by white-tailed deer, Cypripedium reginae can be found in Canada from Saskatchewan east to Atlantic Canada, and the eastern United States south to Arkansas and Tennessee. Additionally, it is considered vulnerable in Indiana, Maine, Manitoba, Massachusetts, New York, Quebec, Vermont, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Rhode Island and it was historically found in Kentucky and North Carolina, but has not been found recently. The only province to rank C. reginae as apparently secure is Ontario, the Showy Ladys-Slipper is sensitive to hydrologic disturbances, and is threatened by wetland draining, habitat destruction and horticultural collectors. The Showy Ladys Slipper is a plant among orchid collectors for its color
Cypripedium reginae
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Showy lady's Slipper Queen's Lady's-slipper Pink-and-white Lady's-slipper
Cypripedium reginae
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Flower in profile
11.
Mississippi River
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The Mississippi River is the chief river of the largest drainage system on the North American continent. Flowing entirely in the United States, it rises in northern Minnesota, with its many tributaries, the Mississippis watershed drains all or parts of 31 U. S. states and 2 Canadian provinces between the Rocky and Appalachian Mountains. The Mississippi ranks as the fourth longest and fifteenth largest river in the world by discharge, the river either borders or passes through the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana. Native Americans long lived along the Mississippi River and its tributaries, most were hunter-gatherers, but some, such as the Mound Builders, formed prolific agricultural societies. The arrival of Europeans in the 16th century changed the way of life as first explorers, then settlers. The river served first as a barrier, forming borders for New Spain, New France, and the early United States, and then as a vital transportation artery and communications link. Formed from thick layers of the silt deposits, the Mississippi embayment is one of the most fertile agricultural regions of the country. In recent years, the river has shown a shift towards the Atchafalaya River channel in the Delta. The word itself comes from Messipi, the French rendering of the Anishinaabe name for the river, see below in the History section for additional information. In addition to historical traditions shown by names, there are at least two measures of a rivers identity, one being the largest branch, and the other being the longest branch. Using the largest-branch criterion, the Ohio would be the branch of the Lower Mississippi. Using the longest-branch criterion, the Middle Mississippi-Missouri-Jefferson-Beaverhead-Red Rock-Hellroaring Creek River would be the main branch and its length of at least 3,745 mi is exceeded only by the Nile, the Amazon, and perhaps the Yangtze River among the longest rivers in the world. The source of this waterway is at Browers Spring,8,800 feet above sea level in southwestern Montana and this is exemplified by the Gateway Arch in St. Louis and the phrase Trans-Mississippi as used in the name of the Trans-Mississippi Exposition. It is common to qualify a regionally superlative landmark in relation to it, the New Madrid Seismic Zone along the river is also noteworthy. These various basic geographical aspects of the river in turn underlie its human history and present uses of the waterway, the Upper Mississippi runs from its headwaters to its confluence with the Missouri River at St. Louis, Missouri. The source of the Upper Mississippi branch is traditionally accepted as Lake Itasca,1,475 feet above sea level in Itasca State Park in Clearwater County, however, the lake is in turn fed by a number of smaller streams. From its origin at Lake Itasca to St. Louis, Missouri, fourteen of these dams are located above Minneapolis in the headwaters region and serve multiple purposes, including power generation and recreation. The remaining 29 dams, beginning in downtown Minneapolis, all locks and were constructed to improve commercial navigation of the upper river
Mississippi River
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Mississippi River near Fire Point in
Effigy Mounds National Monument, Iowa
Mississippi River
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Detailed map of Mississippi River tributary structure
Mississippi River
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The beginning of the Mississippi River at
Lake Itasca (2004)
Mississippi River
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Mississippi head of navigation, Coon Rapids Dam
12.
St. Anthony Falls
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Saint Anthony Falls or the Falls of Saint Anthony, located northeast of downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, was the only natural major waterfall on the Upper Mississippi River. The natural falls were replaced by an overflow spillway after it partially collapsed in 1869. Later, in the 1950s and 1960s, a series of locks, from 1880 to about 1930, Minneapolis was the Flour Milling Capital of the World. These locks were built as part of the Upper Mississippi River 9-Foot Navigation Project, the area around the falls is designated the St. Anthony Falls Historic District and features a 1. 8-mile self-guided walking trail with signs explaining the areas past. Before European exploration, the falls held cultural and political significance for native tribes who frequented the area, the falls was an important and sacred site to the Mdewakanton Dakota and they called the Mississippi River, hahawakpa, river of the falls. Dakota associated the falls with legends and spirits, including Oanktehi, god of waters and evil, the rocky islet where the woman had pointed her canoe towards doom thus was named Spirit Island which was once a nesting ground for eagles that fed on fish below the falls. Dakota also camped on Nicollet Island upstream of the falls to fish, since the cataract had to be portaged, the area became one of the natural resting and trade points along the Mississippi between Dakota and Anishinaabe peoples. The Anishinaabe term was recorded as kakabikah, Hennepin named them the Chutes de Saint-Antoine or the Falls of Saint Anthony after his patron saint, Anthony of Padua. Later explorers to document the falls include Jonathan Carver and Zebulon Montgomery Pike, by the 1860s, however, industrial waste had filled the area and marred the falls majesty. The districts archaeological record is one of the historic sites in Minnesota. The National Register of Historic Places is facilitated by the National Park Service, a Heritage Trail plaque nearby says, For untold generations of Indian people the Mississippi River was an important canoe route. To pass around the falls, the Dakota and Ojibway used a portage trail. Starting at a landing below the now occupied by the steam plant. From here it followed the east bank along what is now Main Street to a point well above the falls, geologists say that the falls first appeared roughly 10,000 years ago several miles downstream at the confluence of the glacial River Warren. Estimates are that the falls were about 180 feet high when the River Warren Falls receded past the confluence of the Mississippi River, over the succeeding 10,000 years, the falls moved upstream to its present location. The water churning at the bottom of the falls ate away at the soft sandstone, from its origins near Fort Snelling, St. Anthony Falls relocated upstream at a rate of about 4 feet per year until it reached its present location in the early 19th century. Tributaries such as Minnehaha Creek begot their own waterfalls as the Mississippi River valley was cut into the landscape, when Father Louis Hennepin documented the falls he estimated the falls height to be 50 or 60 feet. Later explorers described it as being in the range of 16 to 20 feet high, the discrepancy may have been due to scope, as the current total drop in river level over the series of dams is 76 ft
St. Anthony Falls
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St. Anthony Falls Historic District
St. Anthony Falls
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The Falls of St. Anthony by
Albert Bierstadt
St. Anthony Falls
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The upper dam of St. Anthony Falls with upper lock on the left. The Third Avenue Bridge can be seen in the background. Photo taken in October 2005.
St. Anthony Falls
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Mississippi River at Minneapolis today, looking downstream. The bridge in the foreground is the
Third Avenue Bridge, behind it are the Upper St Anthony Falls to the left and the upper lock and dam to the right, followed by the
Stone Arch Bridge. The new
I-35W Saint Anthony Falls Bridge can be seen in the background.
13.
St. Croix
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Saint Croix is an island in the Caribbean Sea, and a county and constituent district of the United States Virgin Islands, an unincorporated territory of the United States. With its 84 square miles, St. Croix is the largest of the islands in the territory, however, the territorys capital, Charlotte Amalie, is located on Saint Thomas. As of the 2010 United States Census, St. Croixs population was 50,600, its highest point is Mount Eagle, Dutch and English settlers occupied the island in 1625 along with some French refugees from St. Kitts. However, the English expelled the French and Dutch, before they in turn were expelled by a Spanish invasion in Aug.1650, the Spanish occupation was short lived as the French invaded with 166 men. By 1651, France had established a colony of 300 on St. Croix, from 1651 until 1664, the Knights of Malta ruled the island in the name of Louis XIV. The island then came under the rule of the French West India Company, however, the colony was evacuated in 1695 to San Domingo, while Louis fought the English and Dutch in the War of the Grand Alliance. The island then lay uninhabited and abandoned, in 1725, St. Thomas Governor Frederick Moth encouraged the companys directors to consider purchasing Ste. On 15 June 1733, France and Denmark-Norway concluded a treaty in Copenhagen in which the Danish West India Company bought St. Croix for 750,000 livres. Louis XV ratified the treaty on 28 June, and received half the payment in French coin, on 16 Nov.1733, Moth was named the first governor of St. Croix. The 1742 census listed 120 sugar plantations,122 cotton plantations, by 1754, the number of slaves had increased to 7566. That same year, King Frederick took direct control of the island from the company, in some of the first years of Alexander Hamiltons life, he and his brother lived with their mother Rachel, Faucette, on St. Croix after she returned to the island in 1765. They lived in the floor of a house located at 34 Company Street. The lower floor was used by Rachel as a shop carrying food items for the local population, within two years, Alexander lost his father, James Hamilton, through abandonment and saw the death of his mother. Official documents from the island, a 1768 probate court testimony from his uncle, by 1769, Alexanders cousin guardian, aunt, uncle, and grandmother had also died. His brother James became a carpenter, while Alexander became the ward of Thomas Stevens. Alexander was soon clerking in the business of Beekman and Cruger, located at the intersection of King. In 1772, local businessmen funded Alexanders further education in New York, the first British invasion and occupation of the Danish West Indies occurred at the end of March 1801 when a British fleet arrived at St Thomas. Denmark-Norway accepted the Articles of Capitulation the British proposed and the British occupied the islands without a shot being fired, the British occupation lasted until April 1802, when the British returned the islands to Denmark-Norway
St. Croix
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Saint Croix from space, January 1992
St. Croix
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A 1754
Danish map of the island
St. Croix
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St. John's Anglican Church, Christiansted
St. Croix
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HOVENSA oil refinery
14.
Lake Superior
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Lake Superior is the largest of the Great Lakes of North America. The lake is shared by the Canadian province of Ontario to the north, the US state of Minnesota to the west and it is generally considered the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area. It is the worlds third-largest freshwater lake by volume and the largest by volume in North America, the Ojibwe call the lake gichi-gami, meaning be a great sea. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote the name as Gitche Gumee in The Song of Hiawatha, as did Gordon Lightfoot in his song, according to other sources the actual Ojibwe name is Ojibwe Gichigami or Anishinaabe Gichigami. The 1878 dictionary by Father Frederic Baraga, the first one written for the Ojibway language, the first French explorers approaching the great inland sea by way of the Ottawa River and Lake Huron during the 17th century referred to their discovery as le lac supérieur. Properly translated, the expression means Upper Lake, that is, the lake was also called Lac Tracy by 17th century Jesuit missionaries. Lake Superior empties into Lake Huron via the St. Marys River, Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world in area, and the third largest in volume, behind Lake Baikal in Siberia and Lake Tanganyika in East Africa. Lake Superior has an area of 31,700 square miles. It has a length of 350 statute miles and maximum breadth of 160 statute miles. Its average depth is 80.5 fathoms with a depth of 222.17 fathoms. Lake Superior contains 2,900 cubic miles of water, there is enough water in Lake Superior to cover the entire land mass of North and South America to a depth of 30 centimetres. The shoreline of the lake stretches 2,726 miles, while the temperature of the surface of Lake Superior varies seasonally, the temperature below 110 fathoms is an almost constant 39 °F. This variation in temperature makes the lake seasonally stratigraphic, twice per year, however, the water column reaches a uniform temperature of 39 °F from top to bottom, and the lake waters thoroughly mix. This feature makes the lake dimictic, because of its volume, Lake Superior has a retention time of 191 years. Annual storms on Lake Superior regularly feature wave heights of over 20 feet, waves well over 30 feet have been recorded. The lake is fed by over 200 rivers, the largest include the Nipigon River, the St. Louis River, the Pigeon River, the Pic River, the White River, the Michipicoten River, the Bois Brule River and the Kaministiquia River. Lake Superior drains into Lake Huron via the St. Marys River, there are rapids at the rivers upper end where the river bed has a relatively steep gradient. The Soo Locks were built to enable ships to bypass the rapids, the lakes average surface elevation is 600 feet above sea level
Lake Superior
–
Landsat image
Lake Superior
–
Lake Superior in winter, as seen from
Duluth, Minnesota in December 2004
Lake Superior
–
Ice on Lake Superior as seen from space (
MODIS, March 3, 2009)
Lake Superior
–
Brooklyn Museum - Lake Superior - Walter Shirlaw
15.
Flag of the United States
–
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
Flag of the United States
–
Oil painting depicting the 39 historical U.S. flags
Flag of the United States
–
United States of America
Flag of the United States
–
Astronaut
Buzz Aldrin salutes the
United States flag on the surface of the
moon during the
Apollo 11 mission.
Flag of the United States
–
U.S. flag on
Mars (
Curiosity Rover, September 19, 2012).
16.
Minnesota State Capitol
–
The building also includes a chamber for the Minnesota Supreme Court, although court activities usually take place in the neighboring Minnesota Judicial Center. The building is set in a landscaped campus, various monuments are to its sides and front. Behind, a bridge spans University Avenue, and in front others were added over the sunken roadway of Interstate 94. Set near the crest of a hill, from the Capitol steps a panoramic view of downtown Saint Paul is presented, however, like all capitols with domes in the US it is also inspired by the idea of domed capitols originating with the United States Capitol dome. Work began on the capitol in 1896, and construction was completed in 1905. It is the building to serve this purpose, the first capitol was destroyed by fire in 1881, and the second was completed in 1883. Above the southern entrance to the building is a gilded quadriga called The Progress of the State which was sculpted by Daniel Chester French and it was completed and raised to the roof of the capitol in 1906. The four horses represent the power of nature, earth, wind, fire, the women leading the horses symbolize civilization, and the man on the chariot represents prosperity. In 1994 and 1995, the statues underwent a procedure which included replacing the gold leaf on the figures. A sphere perched above the dome also has similar treatment. Any classical dome built since Michelangelos must expect to be compared to it and his drawings show that he originally planned a wider drum and, correspondingly, a more massive dome. The smaller dome as built could be criticized by some as too small and it is smaller than St. Peters and has a simplified design, single columns round the upper lantern instead of double ones, for instance. The ribs on the dome are less pronounced than those on St. Peters. Gilbert knew that St. Peters dome was on the edge of being unstable and his engineer for this project, Gunvald Aus, bound the brick dome in reinforcing steel bands, and Gilbert crowned the paired columns round the drum with additional stone. Other than St. Peters, additional buildings with marble domes include the Taj Mahal in India, the central block under the dome needed three entrances, and Gilbert avoided creating visual references to a triumphal arch, which would have been inappropriate in its position. Equally, he managed to avoid any reference to a block that would have been offensive to Minnesotans. However, Gilbert drew ire for choosing stone from Georgia rather than native Minnesota stone, the capitol cost US$4.5 million at the beginning of the 20th century. It opened its doors to the public for the first time on January 2,1905, a hundred years later, the buildings estimated value was $400 million
Minnesota State Capitol
–
Minnesota State Capitol
Minnesota State Capitol
–
Minnesota's first capitol
Minnesota State Capitol
–
1906 photograph of the Governor's Reception with artwork commissioned for that room.
Minnesota State Capitol
–
Capitol at night
17.
Minnesota Legislature
–
The Minnesota Legislature is the bicameral legislature of the U. S. state of Minnesota consisting of two houses, the Senate and the House of Representatives. Senators are elected from 67 single-member districts, in order to account for decennial redistricting, members run for one two-year term and two four-year terms each decade. They are elected for terms in years ending in 2 and 6. Representatives are elected for two-year terms from 134 single-member districts formed by dividing the 67 senate districts in half, both houses of the Legislature meet between January and the first Monday following the third Saturday in May each year, not to exceed 120 days per biennium. Floor sessions are held in the Minnesota State Capitol in Saint Paul, early on in the Minnesotas history, the Legislature had direct control over the city charters that set the groundwork for governments in municipalities across the state. In the early period, many laws were written for specific cities, the practice was outlawed in 1881, though attempts were still made. For instance, the long-standing Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board and the now defunct Library Board were both created by the Legislature in the next several years. The Minnesota Constitution was amended in 1896 to give direct control over their own charters. In 1913, Minnesota legislators began to be elected on nonpartisan ballots, in 1974, House members again ran with party designation. In 1976, Senate members again ran with party designation, following the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution in 1920, women began to be elected to the Minnesota Legislature. In 1922, Mabeth Hurd Paige, Hannah Kempfer, Sue Metzger Dickey Hough, in 1984, the Legislature ordered that all gender-specific pronouns be removed from the state laws. After two years of work, the laws were adopted. Only 301 of 20,000 pronouns were feminine and his was changed 10,000 times and he was changed 6,000 times. Governor Jesse Ventura advocated the idea of changing the Legislature to be unicameral while he was in office, a proper budget failed to pass, and major anticipated projects such as the Northstar Corridor commuter rail line were not approved. Governor Tim Pawlenty, an advocate of the line, was expected to request a special session, the lack of action in the 2004 session is said to be one reason why a number of Republican House members lost their seats in the November election. The Democratic–Farmer–Labor minority grew from 53 to 66 and the Republican majority was reduced from 81 to 68, the Senate was not up for election in 2004 so the DFL was able to maintain its five-seat majority in the upper house. One state senator, Sheila Kiscaden of Rochester, was an Independence Party member until December 2005 when she began caucusing with the DFL, although she had been an elected Republican in the past. The DFL majority increased to six senators when Kiscaden announced her re-affiliation with the DFL in preparation to run for lieutenant governor on a ticket with DFLer Kelly Doran, after the 2016 election, Republicans hold majorities in both chambers
Minnesota Legislature
Minnesota Legislature
–
Minnesota Legislature
Minnesota Legislature
–
The State Office Building, where most members of the Minnesota Legislature have offices, adjacent to the Capitol.
18.
North American Vexillological Association
–
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
North American Vexillological Association
–
NAVA 46
North American Vexillological Association
–
Flag of the North American Vexillological Association.
19.
Vexillologists
–
Vexillology is the scientific study of the history, symbolism and usage of flags or, by extension, any interest in flags in general. A person who studies flags is a vexillologist, vexillography is the art of designing flags, one who does so is a vexillographer, the study of flags, or vexillology, was formalized by the U. S. scholar and student of flags Whitney Smith in 1957. The term was conceived in 1958 by Smith and it has historically and appropriately been considered a sub-discipline of heraldry. Since 1965, an International Congress of Vexillology has been organized two years under the auspices of FIAV. The 2015 ICV was in Sydney, Australia, glossary of vexillology Flag Institute Leepson, Marc. New York, Thomas Dunne Books,2005, flags Through the Ages and Across the World. Media related to Vexillology at Wikimedia Commons
Vexillologists
–
The flag of the
International Federation of Vexillological Associations depicts a
sheet bend
20.
St. Paul Pioneer Press
–
The St. Paul Pioneer Press is a newspaper based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, primarily serving the Twin Cities metropolitan area. Circulation is heaviest in the metro region, including Ramsey, Dakota. The papers main rival is the Star Tribune, based in neighboring Minneapolis, the Pioneer Press has been owned by MediaNews Group since April 2006. The Pioneer Press traces its history to both the Minnesota Pioneer, Minnesotas first daily newspaper, and the Saint Paul Dispatch, Ridder Publications acquired the Pioneer and the Dispatch in 1927. Ridder merged with Knight Publications to form Knight Ridder in 1974, the paper is sometimes called the Pi Press, just as Strib is used for the Star Tribune. From 1947 to 1949, the newspaper printed the comic strip Lil Folks and this comic introduced a number of characters who would later return in 1950 in the syndicated comic strip Peanuts, including Charlie Brown and a dog strongly resembling Snoopy. In 1952, the Dispatch began sponsoring a treasure hunt as part of the Saint Paul Winter Carnival. Clues to finding a medallion are printed in the paper, and the first person to find and return it with the clues, the prize started off at $1,000 and as of 2004 rose to $10,000. The paper has won three Pulitzer Prizes, in 1986,1988, and 2000, Dohrmann would win a Pulitzer Prize for beat reporting in 2000 for his reports on the scandal. Dohrmann and his editor prepared for hostile reactions to the newspaper from the local community, the McClatchy Company acquired the paper in June 2006 when it bought Knight Ridder. As owner of the Star Tribune, McClatchy had to sell the Pioneer Press because of antitrust concerns, the Pioneer Press was subsequently sold by McClatchy to MediaNews Group later in the year. Joseph H. Ball, who was a columnist for the Pioneer Press before becoming a Republican U. S, senator for Minnesota Jim Caple Nick Coleman Carole Nelson Douglas, author of a New York Times Notable Book of the Year and 62 other novels. George Dohrmann, winner of the 2000 Pulitzer Prize for beat reporting, dick Gordon Herb Greenberg Mark Kellogg, the first Associated Press correspondent to die in the line of duty when he was killed at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Bob Sansevere, sports columnist and member of the KQRS-FM morning show with Tom Barnard, joe Soucheray, general columnist and host of the KSTP afternoon program, Garage Logic. Charley Walters, sports columnist Jacqui Banaszynski, writer, editor, bruce Orwall, writer and current editor at The Wall Street Journal. Deborah Howell, executive editor and vice president who died in 2010, city Pages Minnesota Daily Star Tribune Villager Official website Mobile
St. Paul Pioneer Press
–
The July 27, 2005 front page of the Pioneer Press
St. Paul Pioneer Press
–
A St. Paul Sunday Pioneer Press front page dated August 12, 1945 featuring the first publication of the mushroom cloud during the
atomic bombing of Hiroshima,
Japan.
St. Paul Pioneer Press
–
James. M. Goodhue
St. Paul Pioneer Press
–
1908 US editorial cartoon on
Theodore Roosevelt and conservation
21.
Star Tribune
–
The Star Tribune is the largest newspaper in the U. S. state of Minnesota. It originated as the Minneapolis Tribune in 1867 and the competing Minneapolis Daily Star in 1920, during the 1930s and 1940s Minneapoliss competing newspapers were consolidated, with the Tribune published in the morning and the Star in the evening. They merged in 1982, creating the Star Tribune, after a tumultuous period in which the newspaper was sold and re-sold and filed for bankruptcy protection in 2009, it was purchased by local businessman Glen Taylor in 2014. The Star Tribune serves Minneapolis and is distributed throughout the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area, the state of Minnesota and it typically contains a mixture of national, international and local news, sports, business and lifestyle content. Journalists from the Star Tribune and its newspapers have won six Peabody Awards. The newspapers headquarters is in downtown Minneapolis, the newspaper went through several different editors and publishers during its first two decades, including John T. Gilman, George K. Shaw, Albert Shaw and Alden J. Blethen. In 1878 the Minneapolis Evening Journal began publication, giving the Tribune its first competition, on November 30,1889, the Tribune headquarters in downtown Minneapolis caught fire. Seven people were killed and 30 injured, and the building, in 1891, the Tribune was purchased by Gilbert A. Pierce and William J. Murphy for $450,000. Pierce quickly sold his share to Thomas Lowry and Lowry sold it to Murphy and his business and legal background helped him structure the Tribunes debt and modernize its printing equipment. The newspaper experimented with printing and the use of halftone for photographs. In 1893, Murphy sent the Tribunes first correspondent to Washington, as Minneapolis grew, the newspapers circulation expanded, the Tribune and the Evening Journal were closely competitive, with the smaller Minneapolis Times in third place. In 1905, Murphy bought out the Times and merged it with the Tribune and he died in 1918, endowing a school of journalism at the University of Minnesota. After a brief period, Murphys son Fred became the Tribunes publisher in 1921. The Daily Star had difficulty attracting advertisers with its political agenda. After its purchase by A. B, frizzell and former New York Times executive John Thompson, the newspaper became the politically-independent Minneapolis Daily Star. In 1935, the Cowles family of Des Moines, Iowa purchased the Star, the family patriarch, Gardner Cowles, Sr. had purchased The Des Moines Register and the Des Moines Tribune during the first decade of the century and managed them successfully. Gardners son, John Cowles, Sr. moved to Minneapolis to manage the Star, under him it had the citys highest circulation, pressuring Minneapoliss other newspapers. In 1939 the Cowles family purchased the Journal, merging the two newspapers into the Star-Journal, Tribune publisher Fred Murphy died in 1940, the following year the Cowles family bought the Tribune and merged it with their company, giving it ownership of the citys major newspapers
Star Tribune
–
John Cowles, Sr. (1898–1983)
Star Tribune
–
Through 2015, the Star Tribune headquarters in the Downtown East neighborhood of Minneapolis
Star Tribune
–
Demolition of the northeast building of the Star Tribune Downtown East headquarters in mid-2014
22.
List of Minnesota state symbols
–
There are eighteen official symbols of the U. S. state of Minnesota, as designated by the Minnesota Legislature. The first named symbol is the motto, LÉtoile du Nord – French for Star of the North. It was selected in 1861, shortly after Minnesota achieved statehood, by the first governor, Henry Sibley and that same year, the state seal was appointed. Minnesota did not designate another official symbol until 1945, when Hail, Minnesota, then the official song of the University of Minnesota, was designated as state song. In 1984, Minnesota became the first state to appoint a state mushroom, Minnesota schoolchildren have been the force behind the successful promotion of four official symbols, the blueberry muffin, the monarch butterfly, the Honeycrisp apple, and ice hockey. The 1918 black-and-white photograph Grace, taken by Eric Enstrom in Bovey, the newest symbol of Minnesota is Lester, declared the state soil in 2012. In addition, many other symbols have been proposed as representations of the state, suggested animals have included the white-tailed deer, the northern leopard frog, the eastern timber wolf, the thirteen-lined ground squirrel, and the Blandings turtle. The Minnesota North Stars, the hockey team from 1967 to 1993. Many other symbols have been proposed for addition to the list of state symbols but were never officially adopted. Since 1971, the deer has been proposed as the state mammal eight times. Other creatures proposed as representations of the state have included the northern leopard frog, the timber wolf, the thirteen-lined ground squirrel. In 2007, another proposal, also unsuccessful, was to designate the Tilt-A-Whirl as the states official amusement ride and it was invented in Faribault in 1926, and debuted at the Minnesota State Fair a year later. In 2005, the legislature overwhelmingly voted in favor of appointing a state poet laureate. Minnesota Blue, a 1985 poem by state native and poet-songwriter Cordell Keith Haugen, has been proposed as state poem. Five other states have official poems, proposals for state book have included two of Laura Ingalls Wilders works, Little House on the Prairie and On the Banks of Plum Creek. History of Minnesota Index of Minnesota-related articles Outline of Minnesota Works cited McAuliffe, Bill
List of Minnesota state symbols
–
Beverage
List of Minnesota state symbols
–
Minnesota 's northerly location in the United States has resulted in its official designation as
L'Étoile du Nord ("Star of the North").
List of Minnesota state symbols
–
Bird
List of Minnesota state symbols
–
Butterfly
23.
Flags of the U.S. states
–
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
Flags of the U.S. states
–
Map showing the U.S. state flags
24.
U.S. state
–
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
U.S. state
–
U.S. states
25.
Flag of Alabama
–
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
Flag of Alabama
–
St Andrew crucified on a diagonal cross. From a 14th century manuscript
Flag of Alabama
–
Alabama
26.
Flag of Alaska
–
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
Flag of Alaska
–
Russian Empire
Flag of Alaska
–
Alaska
27.
Flag of Arizona
–
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
Flag of Arizona
–
The specific colors of the copper-colored star have not been set down in law.
Flag of Arizona
–
Arizona
28.
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
Flag of Arkansas
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State of Arkansas
29.
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
Flag of California
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"Monarch" the bear
Flag of California
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California
Flag of California
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Bear Flag monument on the
Sonoma Plaza
Flag of California
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Todd's original Bear Flag, photographed in 1890
30.
Flag of Colorado
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The flag of the state of Colorado consists of three horizontal stripes of equal width, the top and bottom stripes are blue, and the middle stripe white. On top of these stripes sits a circular red C, filled with a golden disk. The blue is meant to represent the skies, the stands for the sunshine enjoyed by the state, the white represents the snowcapped mountains. The flag was designed by Andrew Carlisle Johnson in 1911 and adopted by the Colorado General Assembly on June 5 of the same year, however, the legislature did not specify the size of the C or the exact shade of blue or red. Thus, some flags were in different colors and had the C wholly within the center stripe. On February 28,1929, the General Assembly added to the description of the flag that the blue, on March 31,1964, the legislature further dictated the diameter of the gold disc to be equal to the center stripe. In a 2001 survey of 72 state, provincial, and territorial flags conducted by the North American Vexillological Association, the Colorado state flag is also incorporated into the design of Colorados state highway markers. Colorado is the state to incorporate its entire, unaltered flag design into its State Route Marker
Flag of Colorado
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Colorado
Flag of Minnesota (obverse) from 1893 to 1957.
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