Arizona The setting sun that brings warmth and beauty to Arizona is brightly represented in its fl ag So are the state colors of red and blue The copper star honors a state that is the largest copper producer in America Color Commentary Arizona gives tribute to the 13 original American colonies even though it became a state more than 100 years after they gained statehood The yellow and red alternating stripes in this fl ag represent those colonies Those colors also symbolize Spanish infl uence on Arizona State Motto God Enriches Statehood Date February 14 1912 Flag Adopted 1917 6
Arkansas Arkansas is the only state that produces diamonds Hence the diamond in the middle of its fl ag The 25 stars surrounding it explain that Arkansas was the 25th state admitted to the Union Honoring Michigan One of the two blue stars in the Arkansas fl ag honors the state of Michigan Why Because Arkansas and Michigan gained statehood around the same time Michigan was the 26th state admitted to the union Other stars within the diamond represent three infl uential countries in state history the United States France and Spain State Motto The People Rule Statehood Date June 15 1836 Flag Adopted 1924 7
California A fl ag created to declare independence from Mexico in 1848 features a grizzly bear which stands for strength The lone star shows solidarity with Texas which aided California in fi ghting for independence A Flag of Freedom California settlers raised this fl ag at the Mexican stronghold in Sonoma after taking its commander prisoner The fl ag declared the land as the California Republic But it was not adopted as the offi cial state fl ag until more than 60 years later State Motto Eureka Statehood Date September 9 1850 Flag Adopted 1911 8
Colorado The different colors for different themes makes this fl ag interesting Blue represents the clear skies of Colorado white its snow-capped mountains red the color of its earth and gold its sunshine Confusion in Colorado A patriotic organization known as the Daughters of the American Revolution DAR gave birth to this fl ag Its members lamented in 1910 that Colorado had no state fl ag They decided to have one created Little did they know that a Colorado state fl ag had been sitting in a custodian’s offi ce since 1907 The DAR went ahead with its plan anyway and the fl ag it designed was adopted in 1911 State Motto Nothing Without the Deity Statehood Date August 1 1876 Flag Adopted 1911 9
