U.S. State Flags (and Mottoes) Quiz

Answer: Washington

The state flag of Washington contains the official seal of the state which contains a portrait of George Washington painted by Gilbert Stuart. The state motto is in a Native American jargon called Chinook which many tribes used as a trading language; in this language, "al-ki" means "by and by."

Answer: Maryland

The state flag of Maryland is based on the heraldic banner of George Calvert, the first Baron Baltimore. The Maryland Colony was founded by his son, Cecilius Calvert, the second Baron Baltimore. The state motto is Italian, meaning "manly deeds, womanly words" or "strong deeds, gentle words".

Answer: Arizona

The state flag of Arizona was adopted in 1917. The red and yellow are the colours of the Spanish flag and reflect the Spanish influence in the state; the blue represents the Colorado River. The state motto is Latin for "God enriches" and was chosen by Richard Cunningham McCormick, the first Secretary of the Arizona Territory and the second Governor of the Arizona Territory.

Answer: South Carolina

The design of the state flag of South Carolina is very old, dating in some form from about 1775. The tree in the center is a palmetto, South Carolina is nicknamed "The Palmetto State". There remains historical debate over the origin and meaning of the white crescent moon.

Answer: Alaska

A contest for schoolchildren was held in 1927 to select a territorial flag for Alaska. A 13-year-old Alaskan Native orphan named Benny Benson won and was awarded a thousand dollars. The flag shows the Big Dipper and the North Star (which can be found in the heavens with reference to the Big Dipper) on a field of dark blue representing the night sky of Alaska.

The state motto was written by Richard Peter and adopted in 1967 during the Alaska Purchase Centennial.

Answer: Colorado

The Latin phrase "Nil sine numine" can be translated "nothing without God" or "nothing without Providence" but was intended to mean "Nothing without the Deity" when it was adopted. Several flags have flown over what is now Colorado. The colours of the present flag represent snow (white), sunshine (gold), soil (red) and sky (blue).

Answer: Rhode Island

The Rhode Island General Assembly adopted a colonial seal in 1664 with an anchor and the word "hope" on it. The word was a reference to Hebrews 6:19 "... hope we have as an anchor of the soul". The thirteen gold stars on the flag indicate that Rhode Island was the thirteenth state to ratify the United States Constitution.

Answer: Tennessee

The three white stars in the center of the Tennessee state flag represent the three geographic divisions of the state, bound together in unity by a field of blue. It was designed in 1905 by LeRoy Reeves, a citizen-soldier who was an officer of the Tennessee National Guard. The state motto was adopted in 1987 and appears on the state seal.

Answer: New Mexico

New Mexico had no official flag for its first 14 years of statehood. It adopted the present flag in 1920 as the result of a contest won by Dr. Harry Mera, an archaeologist who proposed the Zia Sun Symbol. The state motto of the Land of Enchantment may be translated "it grows as it goes".

Answer: Hawaii

The Hawaiian flag, which derives from the flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, reflects the British involvement in Hawaiian history. The Hawaiians' name for their flag is Ka Hae Hawaii and it is celebrated each year on July 31st. The state motto, in the Hawaiian language, means "the life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness".