State Great Seals #1 Trivia Quiz

Answer: Rivers

Alabama's current seal was readopted in 1939. It is the same as the original one adopted in 1819 when Alabama became a state. It was changed during Reconstruction to resemble the Great Seal of the US.

Answer: Big Dipper

Alaska's flag consists of the Big Dipper and Polaris in gold on a blue field.

Answer: Miner

The miner is shown in the hills with a pick axe and a shovel.

Answer: Steamboat

The shield from top to bottom: steamboat, beehive and plow, and a sheaf of wheat. Incidently, this is the only seal with an angel on it. She represents Mercy.

Answer: Sacramento River

The goddess Minerva was born full-grown from the head of Jupiter. She is on the seal to represent that California became a state without becoming a territory first.

Answer: Eye in a triangle

Colorado's seal was designed by the Territorial Secretary Lewis Weld and Territorial Governor William Gilpin. Both managed to incorporate elements from their family coats of arms into the seal.

Answer: It is written in Latin

While unusual, using Latin to write "The Seal of the State of . . . " is not unique. However, it is limited to the north-eastern states. The three grapevines represent the 15 grapevines of the original colonial seal.

Answer: 3

1704, 1776, and 1787 are the three dates.
1704 is the year when the Lower Counties on the Delaware established their own General Assembly;
1776 is the year when the colonial General Assembly declared Delaware an independent state;
1787 was the year Delaware ratified the United States Constitution, being the first state to do so.

Answer: Spreading flowers

One of the many changes over the years was to change her clothing and remove her feathered headdress so that she looks more authentic as a Seminole. In 1953, Florida adopted the sabal palm as the State Tree. This then replaced the cocoa tree on the official seal.

Answer: The Constitution

The state coat of arms was part of the state flag as adopted in 1902. The seal was put on the flag instead starting in the 1920's. This seal was put on the flag when a new state flag was adopted in January 2001. HOWEVER, another flag was adopted on May 8, 2003 and it uses the coat of arms! Governor Sonny Perdue has promised that in 2004 there will be a state referendum to decide the state flag once and for all.

Answer: Liberty

This is kind of ironic considering how Hawaii was stolen from the Hawaiians after Queen Liliuokalani was deposed by American merchants. At least the US Government has apoligized (Public Law 103-150).

Answer: It was designed by a woman

She purposely put the miner and the goddess side-by-side to represent equality of the sexes.

Answer: Sovereignty

In 1868, when the seal was being redesigned, the Secretary of State wanted it to read "National Union, State Sovereignty". The general assembly disagreed and kept it as "State Sovereignty, National Union". In the game of oneupmanship, the Secretary of State turned "Sovereignty" upside-down.

Answer: 162

The current seal was first used on territorial documents as far back as 1801. Other seals were adopted in 1816 and 1856, but in 1963, the current design was adopted by the General Assembly.

Answer: Wheat

Despite being known for corn, Iowa uses the traditional symbol of plenty - wheat.

Answer: Eagles

Horses are helping a farmer plow. Oxen are pulling covered wagons. Indians are hunting buffalo.

Answer: Two men embracing

Since the style of the men in unlegislated, there are many representations of them such as wearing pioneer clothes, hats, and beards. The embrace has ranged from handshakes to full hugs.

Answer: Herself

The mother pelican represents self-sacrifice, since legend says she will tear flesh off of herself for food rather than let her children starve.

Answer: Pine

Unlike other states whose great seals read "The Seal of the State of ...", Maine's seal simply says "Maine".

Answer: It shows just a landscape

Seals with two sides are rare, but not unique to Maryland - Texas, Pennsylvania, and Virginia are the other three states with two-sided seals.

Answer: Blue

There are two weapons on this seal - but both represent peace! The arrow the Indian is holding is point downward representing his peaceful intentions and the broadsword represents the motto which translates to English as "By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty".

Answer: Hudson Bay Fur

This seal also has three mottos: "Tuebor", "E pluribus unum", and "Si Quaeris Peninsulam Amoenam Circumspice".

Answer: French and Dakota

"L'Etoile du Nord" or "The North Star". The new motto "Mni Sóta Makoce" (Dakota) means "Land where the water reflects the clouds."

Answer: United States

It is an eagle holding a shield with stars and stripes. His left talon holds olives branches and his right holds arrows. He faces the olives.

Answer: Sun

Not only is there a grizzly bear in the center, there are two grizzly bears holding the center shield.