Arizona State Flags

History of the Arizona State Flag

The current design of the Arizona state flag was adopted by the Arizona state legislature on February 17, 1917. The flag consists of 13 rays of red and weld-yellow on the top half, the colors of the flag of Spain, representing the 13 original states. The red and yellow also symbolize Arizona's picturesque sunsets. The bottom half of the flag is colored blue, representing liberty. In the center of the flag, there is a copper-colored star, representing the state's copper mining industry. The star is encircled by a belt with the words "Ditat Deus," which is Latin for "God enriches." The blue field is also adorned with the state's coat of arms, which depicts a group of mountains and a sun setting behind them, with a man and a woman standing in front of the mountains. The woman represents the state of Arizona, while the man represents the United States. The man is holding a bow and arrow, which symbolize the state's Native American heritage and its history of hunting and warfare.