The Meaning Behind Michigan’s State Flag

The American Flag is one of the most important symbols of the United States. It's a lovely flag that proudly totes the colors red, white and blue, and you don't have to go far to see one outside a business or home in pretty much every city and town in the U.S. But, how much do you know about the state flag?

So, what are the origins of the American Flag? What's wild is that it's not totally clear. "The origin of the first American flag is unknown," notes PBS, adding that "some historians believe it was designed by New Jersey Congressman Francis Hopkinson and sewn by Philadelphia seamstress Betsy Ross."

Also, the initial American flag looked different from what it is today. "When the United States Flag was first recognized by Congress in 1777, it did not have the familiar thirteen stripes and fifty stars that it does today," the National Flag Foundation notes. "Although still red, white, and blue, the Flag had thirteen stars and stripes to represent the original thirteen colonies of the United States."

Now, Reader's Digest has highlighted each state's flag and that flag's meaning. "Whether you’re looking to amp up your knowledge of American history or celebrate holidays like Memorial Day, take the time to learn about each of the U.S. state flags," they state in the feature. "Each flag has a story, making it all the more fascinating when studying the history of the state you live in."

So, the Michigan state flag is blue and has the state's coat of arms, which show an eagle holding an olive branch and arrows, plus an elk and a moose supporting a shield with a man standing on a peninsula. It's a lot packed into one flag. "This U.S. state flag also has not one motto but three: E Pluribus Unum (From many, one), Tuebor (I will defend) and Si Quaeris Peninsulam Amoenam Circumspice (If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you)," Reader's Digest states.