History of State Flags

Before states had official flags, they had coats of arms and seals for documents, ships, and militia colors. Those arms later land on flag fields, which explains why so many state flags still look like ‘a seal on blue.’

• Coats of arms establish symbols (animals, landscapes, tools).
• Militia and regimental colors inspire later palettes and layouts.

As states formalized identity, some adopted simple, legible designs—long before the seal-on-blue trend hardened.

• Saltires appear in the Deep South (e.g., Alabama’s later crimson saltire).
• Simple icon-forward concepts start to emerge.

War and reconstruction shape how symbols are read—saltires, mottos, and emblems carry extra meaning. Some designs are revised later to distance from conflict imagery.

• Mottos get sharper (‘Sic Semper Tyrannis’ in Virginia’s arms).
• Post-war standardization efforts begin in earnest.

States codify flags by placing existing coats of arms/seals on a navy field. It’s practical (the art already exists) but busy at a distance. This is why classroom walls feel like a sea of blue.

• Navy field + detailed arms becomes the default template.
• Lettering and dates are often added for identification.

Without redesigning from scratch, states nudge flags for clarity—adding names, dates, or simplifying seals just enough to print and identify.

• ‘WISCONSIN’ + ‘1848’ added for recognition.
• Oregon codifies its unique two-sided flag.

A new wave favors simple symbols, strong contrast, and cultural specificity. The goal: recognition from across a gym—or a tiny favicon.

• Mississippi adopts the Magnolia flag (2021).
• Minnesota debuts a simplified North Star flag (2024).
• Utah adopts a beehive-centric redesign (2024).