State Mottos
State mottos are the official slogans American states take, and are generally displayed on their state seal. Do you know yours already? Are you sure?
Alabama
As you'll notice, a lot of state mottos are in Latin. But don't worry, we've got you: Alabama's motto is "Audemus jura nostra de defendere," which means "We dare maintain our rights."
J. Williams, CC BY-SA 2.5, Wikimedia Commons
Alaska
In 1967, Alaska made their motto "North to the Future."
Hipkins, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Arizona
Arizona has another Latin motto: "Ditat Deus," or "God enriches."
Arkansas
Arkansas' slogan is "The people rule," or "Regnat Populus."
Sjrapert, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
California
Here's a weird one. Since 1963, California's motto has been "Eureka." Why? It goes back all the way to the discovery of gold in California in the 1800s.
CSU Chico archives, Wikimedia Commons
Colorado
Going back to Latin, Colorado's motto is "Nil Sine Numine," or "Nothing without providence or deity."
James St. John, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Connecticut
Connecticut's state motto, "He who transplanted still sustains," also comes from the Latin, "Qui Transtulit Sustinet."
jglazer75, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Delaware
Delaware's state motto is a classic: "Liberty and Independence."
Internet Archive Book Images, Flickr
District of Columbia
We've got a bonus for you here, since DC isn't actually a state. Nonetheless, it does have a motto: "Justitia Omnibus" or "Justice for All."
Martin Falbisoner, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Florida
Florida didn't reinvent the wheel with its motto. It's the same as America's as a nation: "In God We Trust."
Georgia
Georgia's state motto is "Wisdom, Justice and Moderation."
DXR, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Hawaii
Hawaii's state motto isn't in Latin, it's in the native language ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi. It says: "Ua mau ke ea o ka ain
a i ka pono," or "The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness."
Idaho
Idaho's motto is a bit open to interpretation. Reading "Esto Perpetua" in Latin, it translates directly to "Let it be perpetual," but is probably better said as "It is Forever" or "Be Eternal."
Illinois
Illinois' motto gets right to the point: "State Sovereignty, National Union."
Teemu008, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Indiana
Fittingly, Indiana takes "The Crossroads of America" as its motto.
Iowa
Following a freedom theme, Iowa's motto is "Our liberties we prize, our rights we will maintain."
Kansas
Kansas gets a little poetic with its motto, "Ad astra per aspera," or "To the stars through difficulties."
Kentucky
This one will be familiar to most. Coming from 1768's "Liberty Song" by John Dickinson, Kentucky's state motto is "United we stand, divided we fall."
Louisiana
There seems to be a rule of threes in state mottos. Louisiana follows the trend with its motto: "Union, Justice, Confidence."
bluepoint951, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Maine
Maine keeps it short and simple with its motto: "Dirigo," which means "I Guide" or else "I Direct."
Maryland
Maryland is another state that bucks the Latin trend. Its Italian motto, "Fatti maschii, parole femine" translates to "strong deeds, gentle words." It comes from an Italian proverb via the Roman Catholic founders of the European colony in the state.
Bestbudbrian, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Massachusetts
Massachusetts' state motto is "By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty." Or, if you prefer the Latin, "Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem."
AbhiSuryawanshi, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Michigan
Michigan's state motto sure is confident. "Si quaeris peninsulam amoenam circumspice" translates to "If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you."
Smpage09, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Minnesota
Minnesota shakes it up a little with a French motto, "L'etoile du Nord," or "Star of the North."
Mississippi
Mississippi's Latin motto "Virtue et Armis" means "By valor and arms."
Mississippi Department of Archives and History,Wikimedia Commons
Missouri
Missouri's Latin motto leaves some room for interpretation. "Salus populi suprema lex eso" could be "Let the good of the people be the supreme law," or else "The welfare of the people shall be the supreme law."
Sarah Minor, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Wikimedia Commons
Montana
As the "Treasure State" because of its mineral deposits, Montana's motto is "Oro y Plata" or Spanish for "Gold and Silver."
James St. John, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Nebraska
Nebraska is another straightforward state in terms of mottos: "Equality Before the Law."
Nevada
Nevada's motto? "All for Our Country."
New Hampshire
Coming in hot with perhaps the most famous state motto, New Hampshire boasts "Live Free or Die," which comes from the revolutionary general John Stark.
Hunter Kahn, Wikimedia Commons
New Jersey
New Jersey's motto is the sweet, simple "Liberty and Prosperity."
New Mexico
"Crescit Eundo" is New Mexico's motto, which is Latin for "It grows as it goes."
New York
\New York state takes "Excelsior" as its motto, meaning "Ever Upward" in Latin.
North Carolina
North Carolina has "Esse quam videri" as its motto, which means "To be, rather than to seem." Words to live by!
Warren LeMay, Wikimedia Commons
North Dakota
North Dakota isn't kidding around. Their motto is "Liberty and Union Now and Forever, One and Inseparable."
Ohio
Historically, Ohio has one of the more controversial mottos: "With God, All Things Are Possible." A 12-year-old boy selected it after winning a contest in the 1950s, but some thought it violated the separation of church and state. Nonetheless, it remains to this day.
Bob Hall, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Oklahoma
Oklahoma may have "Labor Omnia Vincit" or "Work Conquers All" on its state seal, but it's not actually the official motto of the state. In 2012, the state even tried to make the new official motto "In God We Trust." Take your pick?
James Johnson, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Oregon
Oregon's current motto is "She Flies With Her Own Wings."
Sheila Sund, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvanians probably know that "Virtue, Liberty, and Independence" is their motto.
Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Rhode Island
Rhode Island has the shortest motto of all the states, seeing that it's only one four-letter word: "Hope."
South Carolina
South Carolina has not one but two state mottos. One is "Animis Opibusque Parati" or "Prepared in Mind and Resources," while the other is "Dum Spiro Spero," or "While I breathe I hope."
South Dakota
South Dakota's state motto is "Under God the People Rule."
Tennessee
Some may not know this, but Tennessee has a huge agricultural component. It makes sense, then, that its state motto is "Agriculture and Commerce."
Andre Porter (imagN Images), CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Texas
No, Texas's motto isn't "Everything's bigger in Texas" or "Don't mess with Texas." Like Rhode Island, it's actually one word as well, albeit a longer one: "Friendship."
Utah
Utah's state motto is another single word statement: "Industry."
Vermont
Vermont's state motto is "Freedom and Unity."
Jonathanking, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Virginia
Virginia takes an intimidating route with its motto, "Sic Semper Tyrannis," or "Thus always to tyrants."
Washington
Washington doesn't have an official motto, but takes the Chinook word "Al-ki" as its unofficial one, meaning "By and by."
West Virginia
Not to be outdone, West Virginia has "Montani Semper Liberi" or "Mountaineers are always free" as its motto.
Daniel G Rego, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Wisconsin
If you're from Wisconsin, you might know the one-word state motto is "Forward."
Lectrician2, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Wyoming
Ironically, although it's last on an alphabetical list of the states, Wyoming has "Equal Rights" as its motto.
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