Arizona State Flag

State Flag of Arizona

The Arizona state flag combines symbols of the region's colonial past with colors that represent its modern allegiances to create a symbol that embodies the spirit of the state. Arizona flags have represented their state for nearly a century, and they have done it so well that the North American Vexillological Association found that they were among the ten best flags on the continent.

Colors and Symbolism of the Arizona State Flag

The state flag of Arizona is divided horizontally into two equal sections. The lower section is the same dark blue as the national flag of the United States, while the upper section is divided into thirteen rays that alternate between red and yellow. The center of the flag holds a large copper star.

The copper star on the Arizona state flag is a symbol of the state's large copper industry, while the red and yellow rays reflect the state's beautiful sunsets. The blue portion of the field represents the Colorado River. Arizona flags also reflect the state's political history. The red and yellow colors were associated with the Spanish explorers who were the first Europeans to explore the region, while the use of red and blue reflects the nation's membership in the United States. The thirteen rays also represent the state's connection to America because they each represent one of the first thirteen colonies that declared their independence from British rule.

History of Arizona Flags

The first and only state flag of Arizona came into use in 1917. It was designed by Colonel Charles Wilfred Harris of the Arizona National Guard and several of his associates in 1910. Colonel Harris was serving as the captain of his unit's rifle team during a competition in Ohio when he discovered that his team was the only one that did not have any emblem of its own.

The flag eventually became the state flag of Arizona, but it did not do so very quickly. The state government formally authorized the design seven years after it was first used, and there were still dissenting votes in the state legislature at that time. The bill passed into law without being signed by the governor, who did not give his reasons for declining to sign the it.

A short history of the Arizona State flag
Arizona was first visited by a Spanish Franciscan monk in 1539. His name was Marcos de Niza. Arizona became part of the United Mexican States in 1824, and was passed (after the Mexican War) to the USA in 1848. The name is believed to come from arida-zona, the Spanish words for "dry belt".

Arizona got it's flag in 1911, when it was designed for a rifle team competing in Ohio. Charles Harris (the Territories Adjutant-General) quickly designed the flag. Arizona was admitted to the union in 1912, and the flag was official in 1917. Harris indicated his background information for the colors and design of the flag. The design is to show the sun setting over the desert, with the red and yellow representing the Spanish colors. The copper color in the center star is for the main mineral found in the state. The blue bottom represents the United States.

A short history of Arizona (The Grand Canyon State)
In the southwest on the Colorado River between the USA and Mexico is Arizona, containing the Grand Canyon. First settled in 1752, then part of Mexico. Part of this huge territory ceded by Mexico to the USA in 1848, which became a territory in 1863, and was admitted to the Union on 14 February 1912.

Area of Arizona: 113,508 sq. miles
Capital: Phoenix
Major Products: Cotton, livestock, cereals, minerals (especially copper)
State Motto: Ditat Deus ("God enriches")