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Thursday, January 31, 2008




Pirate Regular Flag



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The pirate flag, or Jolly Roger as it was also known was meant to strike fear into the hearts any merchant that saw it. It probably traces its origins to the plain black flag that a ship would fly to warn another to surrender at once. They were used to intimidate the enemy or victim, and the flag was designed to conjure up fear and dread. It was an important part of the pirate armory, and was the pirate's best form of psychological warfare, especially when combined with a preceding reputation of not showing any quarter if opposed. Threatening images on the flag were often associated with a known pirate, or could conjure up more specific warnings.
In popular legend, every pirate flag displayed a skull above crossed bones or crossed swords. However, there was ample variation, since every crew wanted a unique flag. Of these, the most common symbol was the skull, the symbol of death. It was also frequently depicted in association with crossed bones, another death symbol. Other symbols were complete skeletons, spears, swords, hourglasses, initials, hearts, crossed swords, wings and raised glasses. Apart from the death association with bones, skeletons and skulls, dancing skeletons meant dancing a jig with death, a fatalistic reference the flyer didn't care about his fate. This was also the origin of the raised glass symbol ('toasting death'). Weapons were a portent of slaughter to come, while hourglasses and wings indicated that time was running out (or flying away). All these symbols can be found in contemporary allegorical paintings of death, or on gravestones. And also the symbols were often combined.




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US Navy Flag



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The flag of the United States Navy consists of the Seal of the Department of the Navy in the center, above a yellow scroll inscribed "United States Navy" in dark blue letters, against a dark blue background. It is 4 feet 4 inches hoist by 5 feet 6 inches fly, of dark blue material, with yellow fringe, 2½ inches wide. In the center of the flag is a device 3 feet 1 inch overall consisting of the inner pictorial portion of the seal of the Department of the Navy (with the exception that a continuation of the sea has been substituted for the land area), in its proper colors within a circular yellow rope edging, all 2 feet 6 inches in diameter above a yellow scroll inscribed "UNITED STATES NAVY" in dark blue letters;

The flag was officially adopted by President Dwight D. Eisenhower on April 24, 1959. It is used on land in offices, in parades and for ceremonial occasions, and often on a staff at the quarterdeck of ships in port. It is never flown by ships at sea, nor on outdoor flagpoles on naval land installations, and is not used as an identifying mark of U.S. Navy ships and facilities, as is the U.S. Coast Guard ensign.




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by: Flags Mart
Wednesday, January 30, 2008




US Marine Corps Flag



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The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is a branch of the United States military responsible for providing power projection from the sea,using the mobility of the U.S. Navy to rapidly deliver combined-arms task forces. While administratively under the Department of the Navy, the U.S. Marine Corps is a separate branch of the military, often working closely with US Naval forces for training, transportation, and logistic purposes.

Originally organized as the Continental Marines on November 10, 1775 as naval infantry, the Marine Corps has evolved in its mission with changing military doctrine and American foreign policy. The Marine Corps has served in every American armed conflict including the Revolutionary War. It attained prominence in the 20th century when its theories and practice of amphibious warfare proved prescient and ultimately formed the cornerstone of the Pacific campaign of World War II.By the mid 20th century, the Marine Corps had become the dominant theorist of amphibious warfare.Its ability to respond rapidly to regional crises has made it, and continues to make it, an important body in the implementation and execution of American foreign policy.

The United States Marine Corps, with 186,300 active duty and 40,000 reserve Marines as of November 30, 2007, is the smallest of the United States' armed forces in the Department of Defense (the Coast Guard, about one fifth the size of the Marine Corps, is under the Department of Homeland Security). The Corps is nonetheless larger than the entire armed forces of many significant military powers; for example, it is larger than the active duty Israel Defense Forces.

The Flag of the United States Marine Corps (also known as a standard or battle color) is scarlet with the Corps emblem in gray and gold. It was adopted on January 18, 1939, although Marine Corps Order 4 had established scarlet and gold and the official colors of the Corps as early as 1925. The indoor/parade version is bordered by a gold fringe while the outdoor version is plain. It measures 55 inches on the hoist and 62 inches on the fly.



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Blue Star Service Flag



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A Service Flag in the United States is an official banner that family members of service members in harm's way can display. The flag is defined as a white field with a red border, with a blue star for each family member in active duty. A gold star (with a blue edge) represents a family member that died during service, without specifying cause of death. The deceased might have been killed in action, or died due to unrelated causes.

The Service Flag can also be called a Blue Star Service Banner or a Gold Star Service Banner depending on the color of stars. At times it was called Son(s) in the Service, no longer considered proper.

The banner was designed in 1917 by United States Army Captain Robert L. Queissner of the Fifth Ohio Infantry, in honor of his two sons who were serving in World War I. It was quickly adopted by the public and by government officials. On 1917-09-24, an Ohio congressman read into the Congressional Record:
The mayor of Cleveland, the Chamber of Commerce and the Governor of Ohio have adopted this service flag. The world should know of those who give so much for liberty. The dearest thing in all the world to a father and mother — their children.

These flags were first used in World War I, with subsequent standardization and codification by the end of World War II. They were not popular during the Vietnam Conflict but have come back into use. In modern usage, an organization may fly a service flag if one of its members is serving active duty.

Blue and gold are the only colors specified for use.



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Coast Guard Regular Flag



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The flag of the United States Coast Guard is white with a dark blue Great Seal of the United States. The shield on the eagle's breast has a blue chief over vertical red and white stripes. Inscribed in an arc above the eagle is "UNITED STATES COAST GUARD"; below the eagle is the Coast Guard motto, "SEMPER PARATUS" ("Always Ready") and beneath that the numerals 1790 the year in which the service's ancestor, the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service, was founded. All inscriptions are dark blue.
The origins of the Coast Guard standard are very obscure. One theory states that it might have evolved from an early jack. There is at least one contemporary painting supporting this theory. In an 1840 painting, the Revenue cutter Alexander Hamilton flies a flag very similar to that of today’s Coast Guard as a jack. This flag, like the union jack, appears to be the canton or upper corner of the Revenue cutter ensign.
An illustration in 1917 shows the Coast Guard standard as a white flag with a blue eagle and 13 stars in a semi-circle surrounding it. Later, the words, "United States Coast Guard-- Semper Paratus" were added.
After 1950, the semi-circle of stars was changed to the circle containing 13 stars. The Coast Guard standard is used during parades and ceremonies and is adorned by the Coast Guard's 34 battle streamers. The Coast Guard are unique to the other services for it has two official flags, the Coast Guard standard and the Coast Guard ensign.
The current flag was officially adopted on January 28, 1964.



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by: Flags Mart
Tuesday, January 29, 2008




82nd Airborne white Flag Flag



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The 82nd Airborne Division of the United States Army is an elite airborne infantry division and was constituted in the National Army as the 82nd Division on March 5, 1917, and was organized on March 25, 1917, at Camp Gordon, Georgia. Since members of the division came from all 48 states, the unit was given the nickname “All-American.” This is the basis for its famed “AA” shoulder patch. Famous soldiers of the division include Sergeant Alvin C. York, General James M. Gavin and former Chief Dave Bald Eagle (Sitting Bull grandson).



Active: 1902 – present



Role: Vertical Envelopment Forced Entry



Branch: Regular Army



Type: Infantry Airborne Infantry



Garrison/HQ: Fort Bragg, NC



Nickname: “All-American”"America's Guard of Honor"



Motto: “ALL THE WAY!”




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by: Flags Mart
Monday, January 28, 2008


1st Cavalry Flag


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The 1st Cavalry Division ("First Team") is a heavy armored division of the United States Army with base of operations in Fort Hood, Texas. It is the largest division of the U.S. Army with 16,700 soldiers. Currently the 1st Cavalry Division is attached to the U.S. Army III Corps and is commanded by Major General Joseph F. Fil, Jr.


Flag description: On a yellow triangular Norman shield with rounded corners 5 1/4 inches in height overall, a black diagonal stripe extending over the shield from upper left to lower right and in the upper right a black horse's head cut off diagonally at the neck all within a 1/8 inch green border.


Symbolism: Yellow, the traditional cavalry color, and the horse's head refer to the division's original cavalry structure. Black, symbolic of iron, alludes to the transition to tanks and armor. The black diagonal stripe represents a sword baldric and is a mark of military honor; it also implies movement "up the field" and thus symbolizes aggressive elan and attack. The one diagonal bend, as well as the one horse's head, also alludes to the division's numerical designation. The line is also said to symbolize the border that now separates North and South Korea. An ongoing joke amongst other divisions is that the line is the line they never crossed (reference to the fact that orders were to push Korean troops beyond the line) the horse they never rode (1st Cavalry has not been a mounted division since 1941) and yellow for cowardice.


Active: September 13, 1921 - Present


Branch: Regular Army


Type: Heavy Armor division

Size: 16,700 soldiers


Part of U.S. Army III Corps


Garrison/HQ: Fort Hood, Texas


Nickname: The First Team


Motto: Live the Legend


Mascot: Pegasus



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173rd Airborne #B Flag


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The 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team is an airborne infantry brigade of the United States Army based in Vicenza, Italy. The brigade is the United States European Command's conventional airborne strategic response force for Europe.
Activated in 1915, the 173rd Airborne Brigade saw service in both World War I and World War II, but it is by far best remembered for its actions while serving in the Vietnam War. The brigade was the first major United States ground formation into the country, and served there for six years, losing almost 1,800 soldiers in the process. Well noted for its roles in Operation Hump and Operation Junction City, soldiers of the 173rd received over 7,700 upper tier service medals, including over 6,000 Purple Hearts. The brigade eventually returned to the United States, when it was deactivated in 1972.
Reactivated in 2000, the brigade has since served three tours in the Middle East. The 173rd participated in the initial invasion of Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003, and two tours in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom; one in 2005-2006, and another that began in 2007. The brigade is currently serving in the eastern provinces of the country.

The 173rd Airborne Brigade currently contains six prime component battalions. The unit's two paratrooper infantry Battalions are 1st and 2nd Battalions, 503rd Infantry Regiment, an association that can be traced back to the unit's World War II service. 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment serves as the unit's mechanized reconnaissance unit. The 173rd Airborne Brigade also has a detachment of field artillery, 4th Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment.
In support of the regular combat forces are the 173rd Special Troops Battalion, and the 173rd Support Battalion. All of these units are Airborne qualified, making the 173rd Airborne Brigade the second largest airborne formation in the United States Army, behind the 82nd Airborne Division.



Active: 1917-08-05 - January 1919

1921-06-24 - 1945-09-24

1947-05-12 - 1951-12-01

1963-03-12 - 1972-01-14

2000-10-16 - Present




Allegiance: Regular Army



Branch: Infantry



Type: Airborne Infantry



Role: USAREUR quick response force



Part of 7th Army



Garrison/HQ: Vicenza, Italy



Nickname: Sky Soldiers



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101st Airborne Flag


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The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)—nicknamed the “Screaming Eagles”—is an airborne division of the United States Army primarily trained for air assault operations. During the Vietnam War, the 101st was redesignated an airmobile division, and later as an air assault division. For historical reasons, it keeps the identifier “airborne”, but does not conduct parachute operations at a division level. Many modern members of the 101st are graduates of the U.S. Army Air Assault School, and wear the Air Assault Badge, but it is not a prerequisite to be assigned to the division. The division is headquartered at Fort Campbell, Kentucky and has served in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is the only division in the U.S. Army that has two aviation brigades.



Active: August 15, 1942–November 30, 1945

1948–1950

1954–present



Allegiance: Federal



Branch: Regular Army



Type: Division



Role: Air Assault Infantry



Part of XVIII Airborne Corps



Garrison/HQ:Fort Campbell



Nickname:“Screaming Eagles”



Motto: “Rendezvous With Destiny”



Mascot: Bald Eagle a.k.a. "Old Abe"


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Wednesday, January 23, 2008



Puerto Rico Flag


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Puerto Rico's official flag was adopted in 1952 (on the same day that Puerto Rico became a commonweath). The origins of Puerto Rico's flag are uncertain. There are two competing beliefs; some people think that it was created by Manuel de Besosa and sewn by his daughter, Mima; others think that it was designed by Antonia Velez Alvarado and made by Micaela Dalmau de Carreras.
The flag has 5 equal horizontal bands of red and white (the top and bottom bands are red); a blue isosceles triangle anchored on the hoist side has a large white star. The red symbolizes blood, the white symbolizes individual liberty and the rights, and the blue triangle symbolizes the three branches of the republican government (and also the sky and coastal waters of this beautiful Caribbean island).
Puerto Rico is a Commonwealth associated with the USA.


Capital: San Juan


Largest City: San Juan


Languages: Spanish, English


Land Area: 9,104 sq. km


Territory's Flower: Puerto Rican Hibiscus


Territory's Tree: Silk-cotton tree


Territory's Bird: Stripe-headed tanager


Territory's Song: The Borinquen Anthem


Nickname: Isle of Enchantment


Motto: "John is his name"


Origin of the Name: Spanish for "rich port"



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Tuesday, January 22, 2008



Washington D.C. Flag


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The flag of Washington, D.C., was adopted in 1938. Since Washington, D.C., had no official flag, a commission was formed in 1920 to find a design. Headed by A. E. Dubois, the final design was chosen on October 15, 1938. The design was based on the shield from George Washington's family's coat of arms.


Official Flower: American beauty rose


Official Tree: Scarlet Oak


Official Bird: Wood thrush


Official Song: The Star


Nickname: D.C.


Official Motto: "Justia Omnibus"


Bordering States: Virginia, Maryland


Origin of the Name: The name Washington was to honor the first president of the USA, George Washington. The name Columbia is in reference to Christopher Columbus.

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Wyoming State Flag


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Wyoming's official flag was adopted in 1917. The flag has a deep blue field surrounded by white and red borders. A white bison dominates the flag; it has the state seal in the center.
The state seal pictures a rancher and a miner on either side of a woman. The woman represents the state's motto "Equal Rights," which is written on a banner she is holding. Wyoming was the first state in which women had the right to vote and hold public office. The words "Livestock", "Mines", "Grains," and "Oil" are on two columns that are on either side of the woman; they represent Wyoming's agricultural and mineral wealth. A shield (with stripes and a star) and an eagle are under the woman; they symbolize support for the United States. The dates 1869 and 1890 are on either side of the shield; they are the dates when Wyoming organized as a territory of the United States and when it became a state.
The shield depicts an arm and hammer, a plow, a pick and shovel, and an anchor. These represent Wisconsin's main industries: manufacturing, agriculture, mining, and shipping. In the center of the shield is a blue ring with the words "E PLURIBUS UNUM" (which is the motto of the U.S.A. and means "Out of Many, One" - this refers to the states of the United States being united into one country). Inside the ring is a smaller shield with a blue top and red and white stripes on the bottom.
A badger (Wisconsin's state animal) and a white ribbon reading "FORWARD" are above the shield. A cornucopia filled with food and a stack of lead ore are under the shield.


State Capital:Cheyenne


Largest City: Cheyenne


Entered Union: July 10, 1890


Status: Wyoming was the 44th state in the USA and the 10th biggest state


State Flower: Indian paintbrush


State Tree: Plains cottonwood


State Bird: Western Meadowlark


State Song: "Wyoming"


State Nickname: Equality State


State Motto: "Equal Rights"


Bordering States:Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, South Dakota, Utah
, Idaho


Origin of the Name: The name Wyoming may be derived from the Delaware Indian word "Maughwauwama," which means "large plains."

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Wisconsin State Flag


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Wisconsin's official state flag was adopted in 1913. The flag has a deep blue background. White letters spell out "WISCONSIN" and "1848," the year Wisconsin became a state. A sailor with rope and a miner with an axe surround a yellow shield in the center of the flag.
The shield depicts an arm and hammer, a plow, a pick and shovel, and an anchor. These represent Wisconsin's main industries: manufacturing, agriculture, mining, and shipping. In the center of the shield is a blue ring with the words "E PLURIBUS UNUM" (which is the motto of the U.S.A. and means "Out of Many, One" - this refers to the states of the United States being united into one country). Inside the ring is a smaller shield with a blue top and red and white stripes on the bottom.
A badger (Wisconsin's state animal) and a white ribbon reading "FORWARD" are above the shield. A cornucopia filled with food and a stack of lead ore are under the shield.


State Capital: Madison


Largest City: Milwaukee


Entered Union: May 29,1848


Status: Wisconsin was the 30th state in the USA and the 23rd biggest state


State Flower: Wood violet


State Tree: Sugar maple


State Bird: Robin


State Song: On, Wisconsin!


State Nickname: Badger State


State Motto: "Forward"


Bordering States: Minnesota, Michigan, Iowa, Illinois


Origin of the Name: Wisconsin is from an Indian word, but the origin is uncertain. It is perhaps an Algonquian Indian word that means "long river," a Chippewa/Ojibwa/Anishinabe word, "Ouisconsin," that means "grassy place," or "gathering of the waters."

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West Virginia State Flag



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West Virginia's official flag was adopted in 1929. The flag has a white field surrounded by blue. The state seal is encircled by a garland of the state flower (rhododendron), in the center of the flag. The seal pictures two men (a farmer and a miner) around a rock bearing the date June 20, 1863 (the day West Virginia split from Virginia and became a state). Below the men are two rifles and a red liberty cap (a symbol of freedom). A red ribbon below the men has the state motto, "MONTANI SEMPER LIBERI" (meaning "Mountaineers are always free" in Latin). A large red ribbon above the seal reads, "STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA."



State Capital: Charleston


Largest City: Charleston


Entered Union: June 20, 1863


Status: West Virginia was the 35th state in the USA and the 41st biggest state


State Flower: Rhododendron(Big laurel)


State Tree: Sugar Maple


State Bird: Cardinal


State Song: West Virginia My Home, The West Virginia Hills, This Is My West Virginia


State Nickname: Mountain State


State Motto: "Montani semper liberi" - Mountaineers are always free


Bordering States: Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia


Origin of the Name: West Virginia was named for Queen Elizabeth I of England (she was known as the Virgin Queen). Sir Walter Raleigh may have suggested this name around 1584.

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Washington State Flag


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Washington's official flag was adopted in 1923. The flag has a deep green background with the state seal in the center. The state seal pictures George Washington, the first president of the United States. "THE SEAL OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON" is written in black on the yellow band surrounding George Washington. The state seal was designed in 1889 by Charles Talcott. This is the only US state flag that pictures a president and the only one with a green background.


State Capital: Olympia


Largest City: Seattle


Entered Union: November 11, 1889


Status: Washington was the 42nd state in the USA and the 18th biggest state


State Flower: Coast rhododendron


State Tree: Western hemlock


State Bird: Goldfinch


State Song: Washington, My Home


State Nickname: The Evergreen State


State Motto: "Alki" (By and By)


Bordering States: Idaho, Oregon


Origin of the Name: This state is named for George Washington, the first president of the USA.


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Virginia State Flag


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Virginia's official state flag was adopted in 1861. The flag has a deep blue background with a white circle in the center. In the center are the words "VIRGINIA," and "SIC SEMPER TYRANNIS" (Latin for "thus always to tyrants"). Depicting the state's motto on the flag is the goddess Virtue (who is holding a sword and a spear), who has defeated a tyrant, who is lying on the ground, and is holding a chain and a scourge (a whip). Nearby is the tyrant's fallen crown. Virtue symbolizes Virginia and the tyrant symbolizes Britain. Red Virginia creepers and green leaves surround the scene. A white silk fringe is on the edge farthest from the flagstaff



State Capital: Richmond


Largest City: Virginia Beach


Entered Union: June 25, 1788


Status: Virginia was the 10th state in the USA and the 35th biggest state


State Flower: American dogwood


State Tree: American dogwood


State Bird: Cardinal


State Song: Carry Me Back to Old Virginia


State Nickname: Old Dominion


State Motto: "Sic Semper Tyrannis" (Thus Always to Tyrants)


Bordering States: Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia


Origin of the Name: Virginia was named for Queen Elizabeth I of England (she was known as the Virgin Queen). Sir Walter Raleigh may have suggested this name around 1584.


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Vermont State Flag


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Vermont's official state flag was adopted in 1923. The flag features Vermont's coat-of-arms on a field of deep blue. The coat-of-arms pictures a large pine tree, a cow, bales of hay, and sheaves of wheat . Vermont's mountains are pictured in the background. A stag's head is mounted over the scene. Boughs of pine needles wrap around the coat-of-arms. "VERMONT" and the state's motto, "FREEDOM AND UNITY," are written on a red ribbon under the scene.



State Capital: Montpelier


Largest City: Burlington


Entered Union: March 4, 1791


Status: Vermont was the 14th state in the USA and the 45th biggest state


State Flower: Red clover


State Tree: Sugar maple


State Bird: Hermit thrush


State Song: These Green Mountains


State Nickname: Green Mountain State


State Motto: "Freedom and Unity "


Bordering States: Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York


Origin of the Name: The name Vermont comes from the French words for green mountain, "mont vert."


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Utah State Flag


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Utah's official flag was adopted in 1913. The flag has a deep blue field with the state seal in the center, surrounded by yellow fringe. The state seal was designed by Harry Emmett Edwards in 1896. In the center of the flag is a bald eagle above a beehive (symbolizing hard work), surrounded by sego lilies (representing peace) and two US flags. The word "INDUSTRY" and the dates 1847 and 1896 appear on the flag. 1847 is the year that Brigham Young led a group of his Mormon followers to the Salt Lake Valley in Utah in order to find religious freedom and establish a new base for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.



State Capital: Salt Lake City


Largest City: Salt Lake City


Entered Union: January 4, 1896


Status: Utah was the 45th state in the USA and the 13th biggest state


State Flower: Sego lily


State Tree: Blue Spruce


State Bird: California Sea gull


State Song: Utah, We Love Thee


State Nickname: Beehive State


State Motto: "Industry"


Bordering States: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Wyoming


Origin of the Name: The name Utah is from the Ute Indians



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Thursday, January 17, 2008



Texas State Flag


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The official state flag of Texas, called the Lone Star Flag, was adopted in 1845 when Texas became the 28th state of the United States. The colors represent bravery (red), purity (white), and loyalty (blue). The large white star was first used on Texas flags in the 1830's during the battles between Texas and Mexico.



State Capital: Austin


Largest City: Houston


Entered Union: December 29, 1845


Status: Texas was the 28th state in the USA and the 2nd biggest state


State Flower: Bluebonnet


State Tree: Pecan


State Bird: Mockingbird


State Song: "Texas, Our Texas"


State Nickname: The Lone Star State


State Motto: Friendship


Bordering States: Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma


Origin of the Name: The Caddo Indians of eastern Texas called their group of tribes the "Tejas," meaning "those who are friends"



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Tennessee State Flag


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The official state flag of Tennessee was adopted on April 17, 1905. This flag was designed by LeRoy Reeves of the Third Regiment of the Tennessee Infantry. The three white stars in the center symbolize the three different geographical regions of Tennessee: the Great Smoky Mountains (in eastern Tennessee), the highlands (in central Tennessee) and the lowlands (in western Tennessee, by the Mississippi River). The white circle binds them together. The blue stripe along the margin was added for distinction when the flag is hanging; with the stripe, not only the red shows while the flag is hanging.



State Capital: Nashville


Largest City: Memphis


Entered Union: June 1, 1796


Status: Tennessee was the 16th state in the USA and the 36th biggest state


State Flower: Iris


State Tree: Tulip Poplar


State Bird: Mockingbird


State Song: My Homeland Tennessee


State Nickname: The Volunteer State


State Motto: "Agriculture and Commerce"


Bordering States: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Virginia


Origin of the Name: The name Tennessee came from a Cherokee village in the region that is called "Tanasie."



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South Dakota State Flag


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South Dakota's official flag was adopted in 1963. The flag is sky blue with state seal in the center (surrounded by yellow rays are the words, "South Dakota" and "The Mount Rushmore State"). South Dakota's state seal pictures a farmer plowing a field, a river, forests, mountains, a steamboat, and the motto, "Under God the People Rule."
South Dakota's original flag (adopted in 1909) had an image of the sun on the front and the state's seal on the back. In 1963, the state's seal and the sun's rays were both placed on the front of the flag (with nothing on the back of the flag). In 1992 the old motto, "The Sunshine State," was changed to "The Mount Rushmore State" (this is because Florida is commonly known as the Sunshine State). The original flag's design was by Senator Ernest May and Doane Robinson, secretary of the State Historical Society. Will Robinson, Doane Robinson's son, redesigned the flag in 1963.



State Capital: Pierre


Largest City: Sioux Falls


Entered Union: November 2, 1889


Status: South Dakota was the 40th state in the USA and the 17th biggest state


State Flower: American pasqueflower


State Tree: Black Hills Spruce


State Bird: Chinese ring-necked pheasant


State Song: Hail, South Dakota


State Nickname: Mount Rushmore State


State Motto: "Under God the people rule"


Bordering States: Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Wyoming


Origin of the Name: Dakota was what the Sioux Indians called themselves



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South Carolina State Flag


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The state flag of South Carolina was officially adopted in 1861. It has a white crescent and a white palmetto tree on a blue ground. Three white crescents (on a blue background) were first used on a South Carolina banner protesting the Stamp Act in 1765. In 1775, Colonel William Moultrie designed a banner for South Carolina troops; it had a white crescent on a blue field. When South Carolina seceded from the Union, the palmetto tree was added to the flag. The palmetto tree was chosen because this tree had helped South Carolinians defeat the British in a battle at Sullivan's Island (during the Revolutionary War). The South Carolinians built a fort out of palmetto wood, and when the British fired cannonballs at the fort, instead of knocking the fort down, the soft palmetto wood just absorbed the cannonballs.



State Capital: Columbia


Largest City: Columbia


Entered Union: May 23, 1788


Status: South Carolina was the 8th state in the USA and the 40th biggest state


State Flower: Yellow Jessamine


State Tree: Sabal Palmetto


State Bird: Carolina wren


State Song: Carolina


State Nickname: Palmetto State


State Motto: "Dum Spiro Spero" - While I breathe, I hope


Bordering States: Georgia, North Carolina


Origin of the Name: South Carolina was named to honor King Charles I (Carolus is Latin for Charles).



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by: Flags Mart
Wednesday, January 16, 2008



Rhode Island State Flag


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Rhode Island's official flag was adopted in 1897. The flag is white, fringed with yellow on three sides. A yellow anchor is circled by 13 yellow stars (the stars symbolize the original 13 colonies). A blue ribbon is under the anchor and reads, "HOPE." The anchor was first adopted as a seal for Rhode Island in 1647, when the four original towns of Rhode Island (Providence, Warwick, Portsmouth, and Newport) united under a single charter



State Capital: Providence


Largest City: Providence


Entered Union: May 29, 1790


Status: Rhode Island was the 13th state in the USA and the smallest state


State Flower: Violets


State Tree: Red maple


State Bird: Rhode Island Red(a type of chicken)


State Song: Rhode Island, It's for Me


State Nickname: The Ocean State, Little Rhody


State Motto: "Hope"


Bordering States: Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York


Origin of the Name: Rhode Island was either named for the Isle of Rhodes (in the Mediterranean Sea) or for its red clay (the Dutch explorer Adriaen Block may have named it "Rood Eylandt" meaning Red Island, in Dutch)



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Pennsylvania State Flag

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Pennsylvania's official flag was adopted in 1907. The flag has a deep blue background. In the center are two harnessed draft horses surrounding a shield picturing a ship, a plow, and 3 sheaves of wheat. Above is a bald eagle. Below are a stalk of corn, an olive branch, and a draped red ribbon that reads,"VIRTUE, LIBERTY, AND INDEPENDENCE."



State Capital: Harrisburg


Largest City: Philadelphia


Entered Union: December 12, 1787


Status: Pennsylvania was the 2nd state in the USA and the 33rd biggest state


State Flower: Mountain laurel


State Tree: Eastern hemlock


State Bird: Ruffed grouse


State Song: Pennsylvania, lyrics by Eddie Khoury, music by Ronnie Bonner


State Nickname: Keystone State


State Motto: "Virtue, Liberty, and Independence"


Bordering States: New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, Ohio


Origin of the Name: This state was named to honor Admiral William Penn and his son, William Penn, Pennsylvania's founder.



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Oregon State Flag


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Oregon's official state flag was adopted in 1925. It is the only US state flag that still has a design on both sides. Both sides of the flag have a deep blue background and yellow designs. The reverse of the flag pictures a beaver (Oregon's state animal).
The front of thg flag features the words "STATE OF OREGON" and the year "1859," the year Oregon became a state. Between these is a heart-shaped seal that pictures a landscape with mountains, trees, elk, a covered wagon, and a British warship leaving and an American steamship arriving. The ships symbolize the transfer of the Oregon Territory from the British to the US in 1846, when President James K. Polk signed a treaty with England giving this territory to the United States. The covered wagon represents the early Oregon pioneers who traveled on the Oregon Trail to settle in Oregon



State Capital: Salem


Largest City: Portland


Entered Union: February 14, 1859


Status: Oregon was the 33rd state in the USA and the 9th biggest state


State Flower: Oregon grape


State Tree: Douglas fir


State Bird: Western Meadowlark


State Song: Oregon, My Oregon


State Nickname: Beaver State


State Motto: "She Flies With Her Own Wings" and "The Union"


Bordering States: California, Idaho, Nevada, Washington


Origin of the Name: The origin is unknown. It may have come from the French word Ouragan (which means Hurricane) and was a former name of the Columbia River



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Oklahoma State Flag


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The official state flag of Oklahoma was adopted on April 2, 1925. The flag was chosen from entries in a Daughters of the American Revolution flag contest. The winning entry was designed by Mrs. Louise Funk Fluke, an artist from Oklahoma City.
The flag features a sky blue field (this is the color of the flag that Choctaw soldiers carried during the Civil War). Oklahoma's flag pictures a Osage Indian battle shield made of buffalo skin. It is adorned with eagle feathers and white crosses (the crosses represent the stars in the sky, and symbolize higher purposes in Native American culture). A gray peace pipe (also called a calumet) and an olive branch (symbols of peace in European and Native American cultures) are on the shield. "OKLAHOMA" is written in white under the shield (this was added to the flag in 1941).



State Capital: Oklahoma City


Largest City: Oklahoma City


Entered Union: November 16, 1907


Status: Oklahoma was the 46th state in the USA and the 20th biggest state


State Flower: Oklahoma Rose


State Tree: Redbud


State Bird: Scissor-Tailed Flycatcher


State Song: "Oklahoma!" by Rodgers and Hammerstein


State Nickname: Sooner State


State Motto: "Labor omnia vincit" - Labor Conquers All Things


Bordering States: Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico, Texas


Origin of the Name: The name Oklahoma is from the Choctaw Indian words "okla" meaning people and "humma" meaning red.



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by: Flags Mart
Tuesday, January 15, 2008



Ohio State Flag


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The official state flag of Ohio, called the Ohio burgee, was adopted in 1902. John Eisemann designed this flag; it was based upon the pennant used by the Ohio cavalry between 1862 and 1865.
This is the only American state flag that is not a rectangle. The 13 stars near the circle represent the original 13 states in the USA; the 4 extra stars near the peak of the triangle symbolize the fact that Ohio was the 17th state admitted to the union. The blue triangle represents Ohio's hill country. The white "O" may stand for Ohio (but it isn't certain).



State Capital: Columbus


Largest City: Columbus


Entered Union: March 1, 1803


Status: Ohio was the 17th state in the USA and the 34th biggest state


State Flower: Scarlet carnation


State Tree: Buckeye


State Bird: Cardinal


State Song: Beautiful Ohio


State Nickname: Buckeye State


State Motto: "With God, All Things Are Possible"


Bordering States: Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan


Origin of the Name: Ohio derives from the Iroquois Indian word meaning "good river" or "large river."



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North Dakota State Flag


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North Dakota's official flag was adopted in 1911. The flag has a blue field and pictures a bald eagle holding a red ribbon in its bill; the ribbon reads "E PLURIBUS UNUM" (this is the motto of the U.S.A. and means "Out of Many, One" - and refers to the states of the United States being united into one country). The eagle is holding seven arrows and an olive branch (with three red berries) in its talons. The arrows represent the defense of liberty, and the olive branch represents peace. The eagle has a red, whilte and blue shield on its body, with 13 stars (on a blue field) and 13 red and white stripes (representing the USA). Above the eagle are 13 yellow stars (representing the original 13 colonies of the USA) and a yellow fan. Under the eagle is a red scroll reading "NORTH DAKOTA."



State Capital: Bismarck


Largest City: Fargo


Entered Union: November 2, 1889


Status: North Dakota was the 39th state in the USA and the 19th biggest state


State Flower: Wild prairie rose


State Tree: American elm


State Bird: Western Meadowlark


State Song: North Dakota Hymn


State Nickname: Peace Garden State, Flickertail State, Roughrider State


State Motto: " Liberty and union, now and forever, one and inseparable"


Bordering States: Minnesota, Montana, South Dakota


Origin of the Name: Dakota was what the Sioux Indians called themselves.



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North Carolina State Flag


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North Carolina's official flag was adopted in 1885. This red, white, and blue flag has a white star, the letters N C around the star (standing for North Carolina), and two yellow scrolls, above and below, bearing dates. The upper date, May 20th, 1775, commemorates the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence (named for Mecklenburg County, where North Carolina citizens met to declare their freedom from Great Britain, although the original document was destroyed and some people have questioned its existence). The lower date, April 12th, 1776, commemorates the adoption of the Halifax Resolves (this was the first official action by a colony calling for independence from Britain).



State Capital: Raleigh


Largest City: Charlotte


Entered Union: November 21, 1789


Status: North Carolina was the 12th state in the USA and the 28th biggest state


State Flower: Flowering dogwood


State Tree: Longleaf Pine


State Bird: Cardinal


State Song: The Old North State


State Nickname: Tar Heel State


State Motto: "Esse Quam Videri" (To Be Rather Than to Seem)


Bordering States: Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia


Origin of the Name: North Carolina was named to honor King Charles I (Carolus is Latin for Charles)



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New York State Flag


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New York's official flag was adopted in 1901. The flag has a deep blue background. It pictures Liberty (she symbolizes freedom) and Justice (she symbolizes justice before the law). Liberty is holding a pole with a liberty cap, and has a discarded crown at her feet (which represents freedom from Britain after the Revolutionary War). Justice is blindfolded and is holding the scales of justice. A shield between them pictures the sun, hills, and 2 boats sailing on the Hudson River. Over the shield there is a globe and a bald eagle. Under them all is a white, flowing ribbon that reads "EXCELSIOR."



State Capital: Albany


Largest City: New York City


Entered Union: July 26, 1788


Status: New York was the 11th state in the USA and the 27th biggest state


State Flower: Rose


State Tree: Sugar Maple


State Bird: Eastern Bluebird


State Song: "I Love New York"


State Nickname: The Empire State


State Motto: Excelsior (Ever Upwards)


Bordering States: Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island


Origin of the Name: The English took over of the area that had been called "New Netherland" in 1664, and renamed it New York to honor the Duke of York (York is a city in England).



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by: Flags Mart
Monday, January 14, 2008



New Mexico State Flag


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The official state flag of New Mexico was chosen from a flag competition in 1920 (the competition was held to replace an older New Mexico flag). The winner was Dr. Harry Mera, a doctor and archeologist from Santa Fe, New Mexico. Dr. Mera's design is an interpretation of an ancient Sun symbol called a Zia (this symbol was found on a water jar made in the late 1800's in Zia Pueblo). Since four is a sacred number for the Zia, there are four rays coming from each side of the stylized Sun. The colors red and yellow are used because they were the colors of the flag of the Spanish conquistadors who went to New Mexico in the early 1500's.


State Capital: Santa Fe


Largest City: Albuquerque


Entered Union: Jan. 6, 1912


Status: New Mexico was the 47th state in the USA and the 5th biggest state


State Flower: Yucca


State Tree: Pinon


State Bird: Roadrunner


State Song: O, Fair New Mexico


State Nickname: Land of Enchantment


State Motto: "Crescit eundo" - It grows as it goes


Bordering States: Arizona, Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah


Origin of the Name: Named by the Spanish, in reference to Mexico



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New Jersey State Flag


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New Jersey's official state flag was adopted on March 26, 1896.
The flag has a buff (light yellow-brown) background; this is the color of part of the uniform selected by General George Washington in 1779 for his New Jersey Continental Line. Part of the state seal (which was designed b