State Guides to Flags

State Guides to Flags book cover — Introduction State ﬂ ags tell big stories in small spaces A tiny star might deliver a powerful message Flags have served as inspiring symbols of heritage for more than 100 years But their histories extend far beyond that The seeds were planted during the Revolutionary War 1775 1783 That is when American colonies designed ﬂ ags for their armies State ﬂ ags maintained a military purpose through the Civil War 1861 1865 But national celebrations later that century motivated states to show off their pride through symbols The result was that 19 of 45 states boasted their own ofﬁ cial ﬂ ags by 1901 They have been ﬂ uttering in front of state capitol buildings ever since Designers faced no easy task They sought to capture the legacy and greatness of their states in a rectangle a few feet long and wide They looked to create ﬂ ags that would inspire love and passion for the states they represented They yearned to show the strengths of their states through their designs Times have changed and so have state ﬂ ags Some have been redesigned But others have remained the same for generations You aren’t likely to see jet planes computers or rocket ships on a ﬂ ag They feature instead symbols of the past Included are animals such as grizzly bears and pelicans Or swords and caps that reﬂ ect old battles that brought freedom Or mountains and rivers that show beauty Every ﬂ ag tells a different story

State Guides to Flags — page 1 — Alabama The simple crimson cross on a white background is similar to the famous Confederate battle ﬂ ag Alabama was among 11 states that fought for the Confederacy during the Civil War So Rectangle or Square State ofﬁ cials debated for years whether this ﬂ ag should be shaped in a rectangle or square A decision to maintain it as a rectangle was not made until 1987 The logic was that it had been reproduced in a rectangle for so long that it should not be changed State Motto We Dare Defend Our Rights Statehood Date December 14 1819 Flag Adopted 1895 4

State Guides to Flags — page 2 — Alaska This design was created for a contest in 1927 by 13-year-old John Bell Benson The seven gold stars on the left represent the Big Dipper and the one on the right the North Star Quite a Competition Design contest winner John Bell Benson was born in Chignik a small ﬁ shing village on the south shore of the Alaska Peninsula He boasted an interesting background His father was Swedish and his mother was Russian The boy had to beat out 141 other kids that created designs for the Alaska ﬂ ag Most of the other designs are on display at the Alaska Historical Library and Museum State Motto North to the Future Statehood Date January 3 1959 Flag Adopted 1927 5

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