The flags of the U.S. states, territories, and the District of Columbia (Washington, D.C.) exhibit a variety of regional influences and local histories, as well as different styles and design principles. Modern U.S. state flags date from the turn of the 20th century, when states considered distinctive symbols for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, Illinois. Most U.S. state flags were designed and adopted between 1893 and World War I. [1]
The most recently adopted state flag is that of Minnesota, adopted on May 11, 2024; while the most recently adopted territorial flag is that of the Northern Mariana Islands, adopted on July 1, 1985. The flag of the District of Columbia was adopted in 1938. Recent legislation in Massachusetts (2021) has started the process of redesigning their state flag. Illinois legislature will start the redesign process in September 2024. Maine and Michigan also have plans to redesign their flags in the future, but these have not been confirmed.[ citation needed ]
Despite a variety of designs, the majority of the states' flags share the same design pattern consisting of the state seal superimposed on a monochrome background, commonly a shade of blue, which remains a source of criticism from vexillologists. According to a 2001 survey by the North American Vexillological Association, New Mexico has the best-designed flag of any U.S. state, U.S. territory, or Canadian province, while Georgia's state flag was rated the worst (the latter of which has been changed since the survey was conducted). [2]
Listed alphabetically with their respective date of adoption.
Flag of Alabama
(February 16, 1895) [3]
Flag of Alaska
(May 2, 1927)
Flag of Arizona
(February 27, 1917)
Flag of Arkansas
(February 28, 2011)
Flag of California
(February 3, 1911)
Flag of Colorado
(March 31, 1964)
Flag of Connecticut
(September 9, 1897)
Flag of Delaware
(July 24, 1913)
Flag of Florida
(May 21, 1985)
Flag of Georgia
(February 19, 2003)
Flag of Hawaii
(December 29, 1845)
Flag of Idaho
(March 12, 1907)
Flag of Illinois
(September 17, 1969)
Flag of Indiana
(May 11, 1917)
Flag of Iowa
(March 29, 1921)
Flag of Kansas
(September 24, 1961)
Flag of Kentucky
(June 14, 1963)
Flag of Louisiana
(November 22, 2010) [4]
Flag of Maine
(February 23, 1909)
Flag of Maryland
(March 9, 1904)
Flag of Massachusetts
(July 3, 1971)
Flag of Michigan
(August 1, 1911)
Flag of Minnesota
(May 11, 2024)
Flag of Mississippi
(January 11, 2021) [5] [6]
Flag of Missouri
(March 22, 1913)
Flag of Montana
(July 1, 1981)
Flag of Nebraska
(July 16, 1963)
Flag of Nevada
(July 25, 1991)
Flag of New Hampshire
(January 1, 1932)
Flag of New Jersey
(May 11, 1896) [lower-alpha 1]
Flag of New Mexico
(March 15, 1925)
Flag of New York
(April 2, 2020) [lower-alpha 2]
Flag of North Carolina
(June 24, 1991) [7]
Flag of North Dakota
(March 11, 1911)
Flag of Ohio
(May 9, 1902)
Flag of Oklahoma
(November 1, 2006) [8] [9]
Flag of Oregon (obverse)
(April 15, 1925) [10] [11]
Flag of Oregon (reverse) [10]
Flag of Pennsylvania
(June 13, 1907)
Flag of Rhode Island
(November 1, 1897)
Flag of South Carolina
(January 26, 1861)
Flag of South Dakota
(November 9, 1992)
Flag of Tennessee
(April 17, 1905)
Flag of Texas
(January 25, 1839) [lower-alpha 3]
Flag of Utah
(March 9, 2024) [12]
Flag of Vermont
(June 1, 1923)
Flag of Virginia
(February 1, 1950) [13]
Flag of Washington
(April 1, 1967) [14]
Flag of West Virginia
(March 7, 1929)
Flag of Wisconsin
(May 1, 1981) [15]
Flag of Wyoming
(January 31, 1917)
This is the current flag of the District of Columbia.
These are the current official flags of the five permanently inhabited territories of the United States. Dates in parentheses denote when the territory's current flag was adopted by its respective political body.[ citation needed ]
Maine and Massachusetts have ensigns for use at sea.
Many Native American nations have tribal sovereignty, with jurisdiction over their members and reserved land. Although reservations are on state land, the laws of the state(s) do not necessarily apply. [24] Below are the flags of some of the largest Indian tribes reservations by population and area:
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 sometimes used to represent some of the insular areas in the U.S. Minor Outlying Islands:
The flags of the Confederate States of America have a history of three successive designs during the American Civil War. The flags were known as the "Stars and Bars", used from 1861 to 1863; the "Stainless Banner", used from 1863 to 1865; and the "Blood-Stained Banner", used in 1865 shortly before the Confederacy's dissolution. A rejected national flag design was also used as a battle flag by the Confederate Army and featured in the "Stainless Banner" and "Blood-Stained Banner" designs. Although this design was never a national flag, it is the most commonly recognized symbol of the Confederacy.
The 100 seats in the United States Senate are divided into 3 classes to determine which seats will be up for election in any 2-year cycle, with only 1 class being up for election at a time. With senators being elected to fixed terms of 6 years, the classes allow about a third of the seats to be up for election in any presidential or midterm election year instead of having all 100 be up for election at the same time every six years. The seats are also divided in a way that any given state's 2 senators are in different classes so that each seat's term ends in different years. Class 1 and class 2 consist of 33 seats each, while class 3 consists of 34 seats. Elections for class 1 seats are scheduled to take place in 2024, class 2 in 2026, and the elections for class 3 seats in 2028.
The flag of Oklahoma, also known as the Oklahoma flag, is a rectangular field of sky blue on which is placed an Osage war shield with six crosses and seven pendant eagle feathers above the word 'Oklahoma' in white. Superimposed onto the crosses of the war shield is a calumet and an olive branch.
The flag of Tennessee displays an emblem on a field of red, with a strip of blue bordered by white on the fly. The emblem in the middle consists of three stars on a blue circle also with a white border. The central emblem portion of the flag has been adopted as the state's unofficial logo, and appears in the logos of some Tennessee-based companies and sports teams. Examples include the First Horizon Bank and the Tennessee Titans.
The territory of the United States and its overseas possessions has evolved over time, from the colonial era to the present day. It includes formally organized territories, proposed and failed states, unrecognized breakaway states, international and interstate purchases, cessions, and land grants, and historical military departments and administrative districts. The last section lists informal regions from American vernacular geography known by popular nicknames and linked by geographical, cultural, or economic similarities, some of which are still in use today.
U.S. states, districts, and territories have representative symbols that are recognized by their state legislatures, territorial legislatures, or tradition. Some, such as flags, seals, and birds have been created or chosen by all U.S. polities, while others, such as state crustaceans, state mushrooms, and state toys have been chosen by only a few.
The Child Labor Amendment is a proposed and still-pending amendment to the United States Constitution that would specifically authorize Congress to regulate "labor of persons under eighteen years of age". The amendment was proposed on June 2, 1924, following Supreme Court rulings in 1918 and 1922 that federal laws regulating and taxing goods produced by employees under the ages of 14 and 16 were unconstitutional.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and a topical guide to the history of the United States.
Events from the year 1861 in the United States. This year marked the beginning of the American Civil War.
There have been many United States historical military districts. Domestically, the United States Armed Forces has had military districts ranging from 1798 to 1881. They were reorganized several times: in 1800, in 1813, in 1815, in 1821, in 1837, in 1844, in 1848, in 1861, and in 1865. Internationally, military districts included Cuba, the Allied Military Government of Occupied Territories, South Korea, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, and the Ryukyu Islands of Japan.
The history of concealed carry in the United States is the history of public opinion, policy, and law regarding the practice of carrying concealed firearms, especially handguns.
The 119th United States Congress is the next meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It is scheduled to meet in Washington, D.C., from January 3, 2025, to January 3, 2027, during the final weeks of Joe Biden's term. The elections of November 2024 will decide control of both houses.
Colors shall be colorfast and shall not bleed one into another. Added by Laws 1925, c. 234, p. 340, § 1. Amended by Laws 1941, p. 90, § 1; Laws 2006, c. 181, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2006.
This act shall become effective November 1, 2006.
Oregon is the only state whose flag has different patterns on each side. The design for the Oregon flag was adopted by the legislature in 1925.
The flag of the Commonwealth shall be a deep blue field, with a circular white centre of the same material. Upon this circle shall be painted or embroidered, to show on both sides alike, the coat of arms of the Commonwealth, as described in § 1-500 for the obverse of the great seal of the Commonwealth; and there may be a white fringe on the outer edge, furthest from the flagstaff. This shall be known and respected as the flag of the Commonwealth. (Code 1950, § 7-32; 1966, c. 102, § 7.1-32; 2005, c. 839.)
The department of administration shall ensure that all official state flags that are manufactured on or after May 1, 1981, conform to the requirements of this section. State flags manufactured before May 1, 1981, may continue to be used as state flags.
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