Thursday 14 July 2016

North Dakota State Flag History

By Adam Smith


Adopted in 1911, the state flag of North Dakota displays a bald eagle holding an olive branch and a bundle of arrows in its talons. The eagle carries a ribbon in its beak saying E Pluribus Unum (Latin for "out of many, one") symbolizing one nation made up of many states. A shield with thirteen stripes on the eagle's breast represents the original thirteen states.

However, the flag suggests the close attachment of the state to the union overall. The bill was defeated that same year so the flag remains untouched! North Dakota was the 39th state to enter the Union and nicknamed the Peace Garden State.

The design of the North Dakota Flag was derived from the regimental flag belonging to the North Dakota Infantry. This North Dakota flag was used in 1898, at the time of the Spanish-American War and also during the Philippine Island Insurrection in 1899. The flag has a rich blue field with a bald eagle depicted in the center. There is a shield with 13 stripes on the eagles' breast to indicate that North Dakota is one of the first 13 colonies of the Union. The same connotation is implied by the 13 stars right above the bird. Above these stars is a fan-shaped pattern, which stands for the birth of the US.

The eagle clasps some arrows and an olive branch with 3 red berries in both its claws. These are symbols of war and peace respectively. Beneath the eagle is a beautifully designed red scroll that bears the name of the state, which is North Dakota. The bird is also holding in its beak a red ribbon, with the national motto etched on it. It reads "E Pluribus Unum", meaning "From many, one" and indicates that the Union came into being only with the merging of several states.

There is a barrage of cheap and inferior North Dakota flags being imported and sold, that do not comply with the flag statute. This is bad for a number of reasons. Imported flags are cheaply made and inferior to American-made North Dakota flags, but more importantly, the designs, materials, colors, and methods of printing do not compare well with the better quality, longer-lasting, and correctly designed flags made by American manufacturers. The Flag Company Inc specialized in flag designs offered a special edition of decals and flags to memorize the history of North Dakota flag for the future.




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