Flags of the U.S. states and territories

The articles Flags and Seals of the United States and List of Flags of the United States overlap thematically. So information you are looking for here may also be in the other article.
You are welcome to participate in the relevant redundancy discussion or to help directly to merge the articles or to better distinguish them from one another (→ Instructions).

· 1 National flag and seal

· 2 service flags

o 2.1 Military flags, seals and emblems

· 3 Flags and seals of the states

o 3.1 Flag of the District of Columbia

· 4 Flags of the Foreign Territories of the United States

o 4.1 American Oceania

o 4.2 External territories in the Caribbean

· 5 Regional flags

· 6 Historical flags and symbols

o 6.1 Flags of the independence movement

o 6.2 Development of the Union flag

o 6.3 Confederate States Flags and Symbols

§ 6.3.1 Flags of the Confederate States

· 7 The future of flags

· 8 Flags of other countries based on the flag of the United States.

o 8.1 Subnational territories

· 9 See also

· 10 Literature

· 11 Web links

· 12 Individual references

National flag and seal

Flag/Seal	Date	Function	Description
	since July 4, 1960	Stars and Stripes Flag of the USA	7 red and 6 white horizontal stripes, in the gösch a blue field with 50 white stars
	since 1782	Seal of the USA	The seal shows a bald eagle holding an olive branch and a bundle of arrows in its fangs, which is supposed to express the readiness for peace, but also for battle. In its beak it carries a ribbon with the motto of the USA: E pluribus unum (Latin: "Out of many one").
	since 1782	Reverse side of the seal of the USA	The 13-tiered pyramid on the back has the Roman numeral MDCCLXXVI (1776) at the base, the founding year of the United States. In addition, the pyramid appears to be unfinished with the raised capstone. The Latin saying Annuit cœptis means something like "He (God) has blessed what has been begun".

Service Flags

Military flags, seals and emblems

Flag/Seal Emblem	Date	Function	Description/comment
		Seal of the Department of the Navy	The seal shows a three-masted sailing ship under sail, in front of it an anchor and the US heraldic eagle. The inscription reads Department of the Navy above and United States of America below.
	1960-2002; since 2019	U.S. Navy galley	50 white stars on blue cloth.
	2002–2019	First Navy Jack of the US Navy in the War on Terror	Seven red and six white horizontal stripes, diagonally a rattlesnake, in the lowest white stripe the black text: Dont tread on me ("Do not tread on me"). A flag with a similar motif (rattlesnake on a yellow background with identical slogan) was the Gadsden Flag, which was flown in the American independence movement around 1775.
		Seal of the Department of the Army
		Logo of the US Army
	since 1947	Seal of the Department of the Air Force
		Insignia on military aircraft and helicopters of the US Air Force, US Army, US Coast Guard, US Marine Corps and the US Navy
		Logo of the US Air Force
		Seal of the US Marine Corps
		Flag of the US MarineCorps
		Flag of the US Coast Guard
		Flag of the US Army
	since 15 May 2020	Flag of the US Space Force
		Flag of the Chief of Staff of the Army

Questions and Answers

Q: What do the flags of the U.S. states and territories exhibit?

A: The flags of the U.S. states, territories and federal district exhibit a variety of regional influences and local histories, as well as different styles and design principles.

Q: What design pattern do the majority of the states' flags share?

A: The majority of the states' flags share the same design pattern consisting of the state seal superimposed on a monochrome background, commonly blue.

Q: Which is the most recent current state flag?

A: The most recent current state flag is that of Mississippi, as of January 11, 2021.

Q: Which is the most recent current territorial flag?

A: The most recent current territorial flag is that of the Northern Mariana Islands, as of July 1, 1985.

Q: What is the purpose of the state seal on the flags?

A: The state seal is superimposed on the flags to symbolize the state's sovereignty and to represent its history and values.

Q: How do the flags of the U.S. states and territories differ from each other?

A: The flags of the U.S. states and territories differ from each other in terms of their design patterns, colors, and symbols, which reflect local history, culture, and geography.

Q: What is the significance of the blue monochrome background on many state flags?

A: The blue monochrome background on many state flags is commonly associated with the United States and represents loyalty, justice, and perseverance.