Indigo ground with white palmetto tree at centre and crescent in canton. The palmetto recalls the state’s Revolutionary War defence at Fort Moultrie; the crescent echoes the uniform badge worn by soldiers. Simple, striking, and among the nation’s finest designs.
Blue field with white crescent in canton and palmetto tree centered.
Ratio: 2:3
Flag at a Glance
- Designer
- Colonial militia design
- Ratio
- 2:3
- Text on flag
- No
- Animals
- None listed
- Design type
- Symbolic emblem flag
- Complexity
- 2/10
- Readability
- 10/10
- Seal-based design
- No
Colors used
Flag Symbolism
Crescent
Represents emblem worn on Revolutionary War caps.
Palmetto Tree
Symbol of defense during the 1776 Battle of Sullivan’s Island.
Design Breakdown
The South Carolina flag can be described in a simple build order. This is useful for students learning how flags are constructed.
- Start with the base field described in the construction.
- Add the main shapes first (large stripe, field divisions, or background forms).
- Place the primary symbol(s) in their main position(s) (centre, canton, etc.).
- Finish with details like text, small emblems, and final color fills.
Construction note: Blue field with white crescent in canton and palmetto tree centered.
What Makes This Flag Unique
A lot of state flags share common themes. This one stands out for a few reasons:
- One of the oldest U.S. state flag designs still in use
- Strongly associated with a specific Revolutionary War battle
- Widely used as a cultural and commercial symbol beyond government use
Praised and Criticised
Common praise
- Strong simplicity
- High recognizability
- Clear Revolutionary War symbolism
- Excellent scalability
Common criticism
- Crescent often mistaken for a moon rather than a gorget
- Minimalist design may seem plain to some viewers
Modern Discussion
Redesign debate: No
For Teachers & Students
Classroom-ready prompts, printables, and citation info for studying the South Carolina state flag.
Subjects
Learning objectives
- Explain symbolism of crescent and palmetto tree.
- Relate design to Revolutionary War defense.
Print this
Printable classroom handouts for this flag page.
Cite this page
Copy and paste a ready-made citation.
MLA
APA
Note: Citation formats can vary by school. These are common classroom defaults.
Seal Deep Dive
Palmetto Tree
A white palmetto tree centered on the flag.
Attributes: Stylized palmetto tree
Meaning: Defense, resilience, and victory, referencing the palmetto-log fort at the Battle of Sullivan’s Island
Crescent
A white crescent located in the upper hoist corner.
Attributes: White crescent moon
Meaning: Honor and the legacy of South Carolina troops during the American Revolution
Field
Deep indigo-blue background.
Meaning: Liberty, dignity, and historical continuity
Historical Timeline
Palmetto tree became symbol during Battle of Sullivan’s Island.
Flag officially adopted by legislature.
Vexillology Notes
Design type: Symbolic emblem flag
Complexity: 2/10
Readability: 10/10
Fascinating Facts
One of the most recognizable and simple state flags.
Palmetto is the state tree of South Carolina.
The palmetto tree symbolizes defense and resilience.
The crescent represents liberty.
The design dates back to the American Revolutionary War.
Indigo blue reflects the original militia uniforms.
The flag contains no text or seal.
The current design was officially standardized in 1910.
State Information
- Population
- 5,118,425
- Area
- 32,020
- Founded
- 23 May 1788
- Region
- Southeast
