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The current flag (adopted in 2024) replaced a controversial design that was considered too cluttered. The new flag features a dark blue shape resembling Minnesota with an eight-pointed star (symbolizing the "North Star State"). The old flag (1957–2024) had the state seal, which included a Native American riding away from a farmer—a depiction criticized for implying displacement.
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The flag’s design comes from the Revolutionary War—the crescent moon was worn on the caps of South Carolina troops, and the palmetto tree symbolizes Fort Moultrie’s defense (built from palmetto logs, which absorbed British cannonballs). It’s one of the few U.S. state flags that is not rectangular—many versions have a swallowtail (Gonfalon) shape, though the official flag is rectangular.
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Virginia’s flag has a unique and somewhat dramatic motto: "Sic Semper Tyrannis" ("Thus Always to Tyrants"), which is attributed to Brutus after he assassinated Julius Caesar. The flag also depicts the Roman goddess Virtus standing over a defeated tyrant, symbolizing liberty’s triumph over oppression.
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The flag has three stripes (red, white, and blue) representing bravery, purity, and justice, and it includes the state seal surrounded by 24 stars (Missouri was the 24th state). The two grizzly bears on the seal are a nod to the Louisiana Purchase, which included Missouri—they symbolize strength and courage.
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The flag features an Osage warrior’s shield with seven eagle feathers (symbolizing Native American heritage) and an olive branch and peace pipe (symbolizing peace). The original 1911 flag was just a red field with a white star, but it was redesigned in 1925 to include the Native American imagery after criticism that it resembled a "Communist flag."
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Tennessee’s flag has three stars representing its three Grand Divisions (East, Middle, and West Tennessee), but they’re arranged in such a way that no single star is above the others, symbolizing equal importance. The blue circle around the stars cleverly unites them while also evoking the musical unity of the state (fitting for the home of Nashville and Memphis!).
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Pennsylvania’s flag features its coat of arms, which includes a ship (commerce), a plow (agriculture), and three wheat sheaves (fertility). The two horses on the sides are called "supporters"—they represent hard work but have no official breed, though they’re often thought to be draft horses.
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Wyoming's flag features a bison (often mistakenly called a buffalo) with the state seal branded on its side. The red border symbolizes the Native Americans who first inhabited the land and the blood of pioneers, while the white represents purity and the blue stands for Wyoming's skies and mountains.
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The flag has the state seal on a blue field, with the word "Montana" in gold above it. A little-known fact: The seal includes a plow, shovel, and pickaxe (symbolizing mining and farming), but the sunset scene in the background was inspired by a painting from Montana artist Edgar S. Paxson.
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The Texas flag is known as the "Lone Star Flag," and its design is so iconic that Texas law grants it the same status as the U.S. flag—meaning it can fly at the same height (unlike most state flags, which must fly lower). The single star represents Texas' independent history as the Republic of Texas.
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