Find YOUR STATE's STAR AND CLICK ON IT.  YOUR STATE FLAG WILL APPEAR.

1 DELAWARE

December 7, 1787

"First State"

When Delaware ratified the U.S. Constitution on December 7, 1787; it became our FIRST STATE.  The Delaware State Flag was adopted in 1913 and proudly displays the date of statehood.  Inside the diamond the flag recognizes the importance of commerce (the ship) and agriculture (wheat, corn, the ox and the farmer) to the state.  Tribute is also paid to the Revolutionary War Soldiers.  The words in the banner at the bottom read:

LIBERTY AND INDEPENDENCE

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2  Pennsylvania

December 12, 1787

"Keystone State"

Unlike most flags, Pennsylvania's State flag is more of a square than a rectangle.  Pennsylvania became our second state on December 12, 1787.  Their state flag was adopted  in 1907, and like Delaware's paid tribute to commerce and agriculture on their coat of arms.  Draft horses are on either side of the coat of arms and the American eagle rests on the top.  In the scroll at the bottom is the state's motto:

VIRTUE, LIBERTY, AND INDEPENDENCE

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3  New Jersey

December 18, 1787

"Garden State"

New Jersey ratified the Constitution on December 18, 1787 (11 days after Delaware and 6 days after Pennsylvania), becoming State number 3.   The STATE FLAG was adopted in 1896.  The shield has three plows with a horse's head above it.  The two women represent the goddess of LIBERTY and the goddess of AGRICULTURE.  The motto at the bottom includes the date of independence in 1776 and reads:

LIBERTY and PROSPERITY

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4   GEORGIA

January 2, 1788

"Peach State"

The FIRST Southern State to ratify the Constitution, Georgia adopted their STATE FLAG in 1956.  The largest portion of the flag is a replica of the BATTLE FLAG of the Confederacy.  The field of blue to the left includes the state seal showing the three PILLARS of our government (Executive, Legislative, Judicial) upholding the Constitution.  A soldier stands below the pillars to demonstrate the readiness of the Georgia military forces to defend these.  The words scrolled across the face of the pillars are:

WISDOM, JUSTICE, MODERATION

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5   CONNECTICUT

January 9, 1788

"Nutmeg State"

Inside the coat of armor on the Connecticut STATE FLAG are three grape vines representing the three original "New World" colonies of Connecticut, New Haven, and Saybrook.  Adopted in 1897, the flag bears the state motto which is based upon the 80th Psalm and is translated:

"HE WHO BROUGHT US OVER WILL SUSTAIN US"

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6   MASSACHUSETTS

February 6, 1788

"Bay State"

The star in the shield of Massachusetts is for statehood.  The statue of the Indian was a symbol used by the original colony as early as 1629.  Adopted  in 1908 and modified to the design seen here in 1971, the State motto in the scroll defines the intent of the arm and sword atop the shield.  When translated it says:

"THIS HAND OPPOSED TO TYRANTS SEARCHES, WITH THE SWORD, FOR PEACEFUL CONDITIONS UNDER LIBERTY"

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7 MARYLAND

April 28, 1788

"Free State"

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8  SOUTH CAROLINA

May 23, 1788

"Palmetto State"

The white tree in the center of the South Carolina STATE FLAG is their state tree, the palmetto.   The flag itself is based upon the flag flown by South Carolina patriots defending FORT MOULTRIE during the American Revolution.  The Fort Moultrie flag flag can be seen in our archives and consisted of a blue banner with a white crescent moon across which was written the word "LIBERTY".

South Carolina was adopted their official state flag in 1861 when the state declared independence from the United States early in the Civil War.  Though many states adopted designs for their flags that had existed for hundreds of years, only the state flags of Texas and Hawaii are OFFICIALLY older as STATE FLAGS, than the flag of South Carolina.

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9 NEW HAMPSHIRE

June 21, 1788

"Granite State"

Nine stars encircle the seal of the State of New Hampshire, designating its rank as our ninth state.   The date of the American Revolution (1776) is printed at the bottom of the seal which depicts a ship in recognition of New Hampshire's important role as a major ship builder for the new United States Navy during the Revolution.

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10 VIRGINIA

June 25, 1788

"Old Dominion"

Vines called "Virginia creepers" encircle the emblem of a woman with a king underfoot (note the crown has fallen from his head) in the STATE FLAG adopted by Virginia in 1861.   One of our oldest OFFICIAL state flags, the Latin words at the bottom describe the action in the center:

"THUS EVER TO TYRANTS"

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11  NEW YORK

July 26, 1788

"Empire State"

New York's STATE FLAG, adopted in 1901, depicts the goddess of LIBERTY and the goddess of JUSTICE standing on either side of a shield bearing a colorful portrait of shipping on New York's Hudson River.  At the top of the shield an American Eagle perches above the world, and at the bottom is the state motto:

EXCELSIOR

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12  NORTH CAROLINA

November 21, 1789

"Tar Heel State"

North Carolina combined a single red and white stripe and a field of blue in the STATE FLAG adopted in 1885.  The initials of the state are separated by a single star signifying statehood.   The banner at the top indicates the date the North Carolina residents of MECKLENBURG are purported to have issued the first American Declaration of Independence on May 20, 1775.  (Though most of Congress discounted reports of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence and Thomas Jefferson refered to it as "spurious", it is recognized by the state as a key moment in state history.)  The date of April 12, 1776 is displayed below the star of North Carolina to commemorate the Halifax Resolves.

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13  RHODE ISLAND

May 29, 1790

"Ocean State"

Two and a half years after Delaware became our first state, under threat of being treated as a foreign nation, Rhode Island finally ratified the Constitution and became our 13th State.  In 1647 Rhode Island adopted an anchor as the Colony's symbol of HOPE.  During the American Revolution, Rhode Island patriots fought under a flag with an anchor and 13 stars.  In 1897 this design was adopted as the official STATE FLAG of our 13th state.

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14 VERMONT

March 4, 1791

"Green Mountain State"

Adopted in 1923, Vermont's STATE FLAG shows an antlered head above the coat of arms showing mountains, wheat, an ox and one large pine tree.  The wreath of branches surrounding the coat of arms is inserted to commemorate the Battle of Plattsburgh (1814).  The red banner below shows the states name and bears its motto:

FREEDOM and UNITY

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15  KENTUCKY

June 1, 1792

"Bluegrass State"

Adopted in 1918 and changed slightly in 1962, the STATE FLAG of Kentucky shows a seal under the words "COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY" and framed goldenrod, the state flower.  Inside the seal is a frontiersman and hunter representing Kentucky and the original states.   The meeting of the two defines the state motto:

UNITED WE STAND

DIVIDED WE FALL

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16  TENNESSEE

June 1, 1796

"Volunteer State"

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17  OHIO

March 1, 1803

"Buckeye State"

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