List of U.S. state and territory mottos
All of the United States' 50 states have a state motto, as do the District of Columbia and 3 of its territories. A motto is a phrase intended to formally describe the general motivation or intention of an organization. State mottos can sometimes be found on state seals or state flags. Some states have officially designated a state motto by an act of the state legislature, whereas other states have the motto only as an element of their seals. The motto of the United States itself is In God We Trust, proclaimed by Congress and signed into law by President Dwight D. Eisenhower on July 30, 1956.[1] The motto "Script error: No such module "Lang"." (Latin for 'out of many, one') was approved for use on the Great Seal of the United States in 1782, but was never adopted as the national motto through legislative action.
South Carolina has two official mottos, both which are in Latin.[2] Kentucky, North Dakota, and Vermont also have two mottos, one in Latin and the other in English.[3][4] All other states and territories have only one motto, except for Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, which do not have any mottos.[5] English and Latin are the most-used languages for state mottos, each used by 25 states and territories. Seven states and territories use another language, of which each language is only used once. Eight states and two territories have their mottos on their state quarter; thirty-eight states and four territories have their mottos on their state seals.
The dates given are, where possible, the earliest date that the motto was used in an official sense. Some state mottos are not official but are on the official state seal; in these cases the adoption date of the seal is given. The earliest use of a current motto is that of Puerto Rico, Script error: No such module "Lang"., granted to the island by the Spanish in 1511.[6]
State, federal district and territory mottos
| Jurisdiction | Motto | English translation | Language | Date | Template:Reference heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Script error: No such module "Lang". | We dare defend our rights | Latin | Template:Dts | [7] |
| Alaska | North to the Future | — | English | Template:Dts | [8] |
| American Samoa | Script error: No such module "Lang". | Samoa, let Atua be first | Samoan | Template:Dts | [9] |
| Arizona | Script error: No such module "Lang". | God enriches | Latin | Template:Dts | [10][11] |
| Arkansas | Script error: No such module "Lang".[N 1] | The people rule | Latin | Template:Dts | [12] |
| California | Eureka (Script error: No such module "Lang".) | I have found it | Greek | Template:Dts[N 2] | [13] |
| Colorado | Script error: No such module "Lang". | Nothing without providence | Latin | Template:Dts | [14] |
| Connecticut | Script error: No such module "Lang". | He who transplanted still sustains | Latin | Template:Dts | [15] |
| Delaware | Liberty and Independence | — | English | Template:Dts | [16] |
| District of Columbia | Script error: No such module "Lang". | Justice for all | Latin | Template:Dts | [17] |
| Florida | In God We Trust | — | English | Template:Dts[N 3] | [18] |
| Georgia | Wisdom, Justice, Moderation[N 4] | — | English | Template:Dts | [20][21][19] |
| Guam | — | — | — | — | [5] |
| Hawaiʻi | Script error: No such module "Lang". | The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness/*The sovereignty of the land is perpetuated in righteousness
|
Hawaiian | Template:Dts[N 5] | [23][22] |
| Idaho | Script error: No such module "Lang". | Let it be perpetual | Latin | Template:Dts | [24] |
| Illinois | State sovereignty, national union | — | English | Template:Dts | [25] |
| Indiana | Crossroads of America | — | English | Template:Dts | [26] |
| Iowa | Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain | — | English | Template:Dts | [27] |
| Kansas | Script error: No such module "Lang". | To the stars through difficulties | Latin | Template:Dts | [28] |
| Kentucky | United we stand, divided we fall | — | English | Template:Dts | [3] |
| Script error: No such module "Lang". | Let us be grateful to God | Latin | 2002 | [29] | |
| Louisiana | Union, justice, confidence | — | English | Template:Dts | [30] |
| Maine | Script error: No such module "Lang". | I lead | Latin | Template:Dts | [31] |
| Maryland | Script error: No such module "Lang". | Strong deeds, gentle words | Italian | Template:Dts | [32][33] |
| Massachusetts | Script error: No such module "Lang". | By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty | Latin | Template:Dts | [34] |
| Michigan | Script error: No such module "Lang". | If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you | Latin | Template:Dts | [35][36] |
| Minnesota | Script error: No such module "Lang".[N 6] | The star of the North | French | Template:Dts | [37] |
| Mississippi | Script error: No such module "Lang". | By valor and arms | Latin | Template:Dts | [38] |
| Missouri | Script error: No such module "Lang". | Let the welfare of the people be the supreme law | Latin | Template:Dts | [39] |
| Montana | Script error: No such module "Lang". | Gold and silver | Spanish | Template:Dts | [40] |
| Nebraska | Equality before the law | — | English | Template:Dts | [41] |
| Nevada | All For Our Country[N 7] | — | English | Template:Dts | [42] |
| New Hampshire | Live Free or Die | — | English | Template:Dts | [43] |
| New Jersey | Liberty and prosperity | — | English | Template:Dts | [44] |
| New Mexico | Script error: No such module "Lang". | It grows as it goes | Latin | Template:Dts[N 8] | [45] |
| New York | Script error: No such module "Lang". | Ever upward | Latin | Template:Dts | [46] |
| North Carolina | Script error: No such module "Lang". | To be, rather than to seem | Latin | Template:Dts | [47] |
| North Dakota | Liberty and union, now and forever, one and inseparable | — | English | Template:Dts | [48][49] |
| Script error: No such module "Lang". | One sows for the benefit of another age | Latin | Template:Dts | [50] | |
| Northern Mariana Islands | — | — | — | — | [5] |
| Ohio | With God, all things are possible[N 9] | — | English | Template:Dts | [52][51] |
| Oklahoma | Script error: No such module "Lang". | Labor conquers all things | Latin | Template:Dts[N 10] [N 11] | [55][53][54] |
| Oregon | Script error: No such module "Lang". | She flies with her own wings | Latin | Template:Dts[N 12] | [56] |
| Pennsylvania | Virtue, liberty, and independence | — | English | Template:Dts | [57] |
| Puerto Rico | Script error: No such module "Lang". | John is his name | Latin | Template:Dts[N 13] | [6][58] |
| Rhode Island | Hope | — | English | Template:Dts | [59] |
| South Carolina | Script error: No such module "Lang". | While I breathe, I hope | Latin | Template:Dts | [2] |
| Script error: No such module "Lang". | Ready in soul and resource | Latin | |||
| South Dakota | Under God the people rule | — | English | Template:Dts | [60] |
| Tennessee | Agriculture and Commerce | — | English | Template:Dts[N 14] | [61] |
| Texas | Friendship | — | English | Template:Dts | [62] |
| Utah | Industry | — | English | Template:Dts[N 15] | [63][64] |
| Vermont | Freedom and Unity | — | English | Template:Dts | [65] |
| Script error: No such module "Lang". | May the fourteenth star shine bright | Latin | Template:Dts | [66][67] | |
| Virginia | Script error: No such module "Lang". | Thus always to tyrants | Latin | Template:Dts | [68] |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | United in Pride and Hope | — | English | Template:Dts | [69] |
| Washington | Script error: No such module "Lang". or Script error: No such module "Lang". (Unofficial)[N 16] | By and by | Chinook Jargon | — | [70] |
| West Virginia | Script error: No such module "Lang". | Mountaineers are always free | Latin | Template:Dts | [71] |
| Wisconsin | Forward | — | English | Template:Dts | [72] |
| Wyoming | Equal Rights | — | English | Template:Dts | [73] |
See also
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- List of national mottos
- List of U.S. state nicknames
- List of U.S. state tourism slogans
- United States national motto
Notes
References
External links
- Mottoes of the 50 States from Netstate.com
- State mottos from State Symbols USA
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- ↑ Kingsbury, George. History of Dakota Territory (1915). Retrieved from the Internet Archive 12 May 2014.
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