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The present state flag of Minnesota was adopted in 1957. The flag is royal blue with the state seal displayed in the center. Three dates are woven into a wreath surrounding the seal which represent :
The year of statehood (1858);
The year Fort Snelling was established (1819); and
The year the original flag was adopted(1893).
The nineteen stars arranged outside the wreath symbolize the fact that Minnesota was the 19th state to enter the Union after the original thirteen. The largest star represents the North Star and Minnesota.
Minnesota state seal
The state motto on the seal is French, "l’étoile du nord" for "the star of the North (the basis for Minnesota's nickname as the North Star State).The seal has much symbolism:
The sun on the western horizon signifies the flat plains covering much of Minnesota.
The Indian on horseback is riding due south and represents the Indian heritage of Minnesota.
The tools: the Indian’s horse and spear and pioneer’s axe, rifle, and plow represent tools that were used for hunting and labor.
The stump is a symbol of the importance of the lumber industry in Minnesota.
The Mississippi River and St. Anthony Falls are depicted to note the importance of these resources in transportation and industry.
The cultivated ground and the plow symbolize the importance of agriculture in Minnesota.
Trees: beyond the falls, three pine trees represent the state tree and the three great pine regions of Minnesota–St. Croix, Mississippi, and Lake Superior.
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