North Dakota State Flag

North Dakota State Flag

The flag of North Dakota, like many other flags in the United States, began as a military banner that was carried by the state's infantry regiments. The government has made only small changes to the North Dakota state flag since it was first adopted, which has helped to make sure that the design remains true to the historical flag of the Philippine-American War.

Colors and Symbolism of the Flag of North Dakota

North Dakota flags have a solid blue field that displays a bald eagle with a branch and a bundle of arrows grasped in its talons. A shield that displays the blue field and thirteen red and white stripes of the American flag is placed over the eagle's chest. The eagle holds a ribbon in its beak which reads "One nation made up of many states." An arc of thirteen golden stars and a sunburst are placed over the eagle's head, and a ribbon of red and gold that bears the state's name is placed below its feet.

The flag of North Dakota includes several features that emphasize the state's connection to the rest of the United States. The bald eagle resembles the one that is featured on the Great Seal of the United States, and the shield is based on the national flag. The blue field is shared with many other state flags, as are the stars that are upon it. The ribbon in the eagle's beak displays a message of national unity where many other flags display a state motto.

History of North Dakota Flags

The North Dakota state flag came into use in 1911, after it was first proposed to the state government by John H. Fraine. Fraine's design was taken directly from the regimental flag of the North Dakota Infantry, and it was only changed to include the state's name along the bottom of the flag. All North Dakota flags since that time have followed that design, although the official specifications were amended in 1943 in order to clarify the details of the flag's color scheme. The design was popular enough to defeat an effort to replace it in 1954, so it is likely that the design will remain in use for many years to come.

A short history of the North Dakota State flag
Infantrymen from the state during the Philippine Campaign of 1898-99 carried today's flag of North Dakota. Commander of the First Battalion, Major John Fraine, lobbied for the Color to be adopted as the state flag. The legislation adopted it on March 3, 1911 but the original drafting of the legislation didn't describe the Color correctly. It wasn't until 1943 that the revised legislation put the matter right. A new flag was adopted for the National Guard since the state flag was in effect a military Color on March 15,1957. The state flag has an eagle flourishing a scroll bearing the national motto and has thirteen stars representing the original states of the Union.

A short history of North Dakota (The Flickertail State)
In 1803, the Dakota Territory was part of the Louisiana Purchase, with the Red River valley ceded by Britain in 1818. North Dakota became a Territory in 1861, and in 1889 was divided into two states. On November 2, 1889, North Dakota was admitted to the Union.

Area of North Dakota: 70,665 sq. miles
Capital: Bismarck
Major Products: barley, sunflowers, flaxseed, durum, wheat, oil, gas, cattle
State Motto: Liberty and union, now and forever, one and inseparable