Are State Flags Finally Getting Better?

[@ThatIsInterestingTII]

Head to squarespace.com/thatisinteresting to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code thatisinteresting

[@R.J._Lewis]

I've watched the whole video, and you and I have very different senses of taste. Most of the ones that you say look good I can't stand. I think New Mexico is the only one we agree on.

[@Durglass]

Ohio because of the unique shape of the flag, it is not just a rectangle .

[@DisinterestedParty]

Better? That seems entirely subjective, and a matter of personal tastes. Every individual will have their own opinion. Immature to even propose this topic.

[@verihimthered2418]

The new flags look like clip art. Can't wait till the other side sweeps and replaces all the new flags with their own committees. Should get interesting

[@ethancole9168]

Just wanted to let you know, Florida's flag is nearly identical to the spanish empires flag, and the symbol it uses isn't a confederate one, its the saint andrews cross i believe. Florida may be pretty republican, but its flag isnt based off the confederate flag like Mississippis was

[@err0rheart932]

Point of fact. Alabama's flag predates the civil war and is a representation of St. Andrew's cross. It has nothing to do with the civil war despite the x. It's closer to old Spanish and English colonial flags. Florida's flag is also based off the St. Andrew cross.

[@1685Violin]

I thought the old Spanish flag is the Cross of Burgundy, not St. Andrew's.

[@de132]

​@@1685Violin You are both correct! @err0rheart932 is correct in so far as the flag is closer to old Spanish and English colonial flags. Alabama's flag is based on the St. Andrew's cross as is Florida. Florida adopted its red saltire in 1900. And the old Spanish flag, for purposes of general use and especially in the New World, was generally the Cross of Burgundy. Although at this time the concept of a national flag in regards to Spain as understood nowadays did not exist, and so the true symbol of Spain was represented by the Royal arms. But here comes the fun (and morbid) part! The Cross of Burgundy is supposed to represent the crucifixion of St. Andrew.

[@bradjohnson4126]

Alabama's flag looks like they're trying to link to a jpeg that was moved from the server.

[@chwilhogyn]

Alabama's flag is the British Saint Patrick's Saltire/Cross, created and established in 1783 by George III, imposed on Ireland before the Act of Union of Great Britain and Ireland in 1800.

[@unanec]

​@@1685Violinthe burgundy cross is a saint andrews cross with nods, but the key symbol is st andrew cross

[@Star_sweeper]

With the new Utah flag, I feel like all the Four Corners states have great flags. I’m in Arizona and our flag is pretty nice.

[@ressljs]

I've got a friend in Utah that hates the "cartoon beehive" flag. That said, the old flag is one of 20 you can't tell apart because they're just the state seal in front of a blue background. I think they should keep the state seal, but put it over the new mountain background. I have to agree with my friend that the bee hive looks cheesey.

[@freeman10000]

The new Utah flag looks great.

[@MongoBongo271]

In my opinion Colorados flag is so boring Arizona and new Mexico are fantastic though

[@shawnsnow7748]

@@MongoBongo271 The Colorado flag is beautiful and has so much symbolism that ties it to the state's natural beauty. It is also easily identifiable as being the flag for Colorado. You'll find it used all over the state and on products for tourists. It was designed in 1911 and has changed very little since.

[@infinity_awesome_mapping]

@@MongoBongo271 ⬆️

[@SupremeLeaderKimJong-un]

Regarding Maryland's flag: That is the shield from their coat of arms. While a lot of states simply put their coat of arms right in the middle of the flag, in the case of Maryland it takes up literally the entire flag. The banner of arms is from the 17th century by Cecil, the 2nd Baron Baltimore. The yellow and black represents Lord Baltimore's banner (heraldic shield of his father), which was used by pro-Union Marylanders during the Civil War. While the white and red is the Crossland banner (his grandmother) that was used by pro-Confederate Marylanders. And that first New Mexico flag wasn't official. There's a reason it looks like that. Just three years after New Mexico was admitted as a state, the 1915 San Diego World's Fair took place, and it had an exhibit hall that would feature all the state flags at the time. But NM didn't have a flag to represent them (it wouldn't for its first thirteen years), so an unofficial one designed by then mayor of Santa Fe Ralph E. Twitchell. So yeah, it looks like a monstrosity because it was made LAST MINUTE. The flag is on display at the Palace of the Governors

[@WRSpiral]

Oh hi Supreme Leader

[@asheep7797]

Nice piece of flag knowledge from a man who wishes to unite the world under 1 flag!

[@pedrocristina8724]

Nord korewa is as virool cuiontry🇳🇺🇳🇺🇳🇺🇳🇺🇳🇺

[@CaptainJackSparrowSavvy]

Uh....

[@whatok4355]

:/

[@AlexSilva-eg2kx]

I'll admit that I lost it laughing at the old New Mexico flag.

[@potatogirlcultist19]

I literally though that he added the "New Mexico" text in the editing. When I googled it and found out it was the legit flag, you can imagine my horror...

[@Tindog81476]

@@potatogirlcultist19 ME TOO! I thought he just added that, it looks like a word doc text!

[@YOPIERREWYA]

The flag reminds me of a KZbin thumbnail

[@potatogirlcultist19]

@@Tindog81476 History Channel episode idea: Did Mew Mexicans in the early 20th century have acces to Microsoft Word???

[@Tindog81476]

@@potatogirlcultist19 ITS TIME TRAVELING ALIENS, THAT MOST CERTAINLY AREN'T HUMANS!! GIVING ANCIENT NEW MEXICANS MICROSOFT WORD BRILLIANT! History Channels going to love it!!!

[@themasterjay7189]

Born and raised in Texas and I will never get tired of the state flag. So iconic and so beautiful and unique

[@betterinthe80sdude]

It"s not unique at all. Just ask Chile, who came up with almost the same design 20 years earlier.

[@themasterjay7189]

@@betterinthe80sdude Yea you right, but as far as the UNITED STATES, this is still a iconic flag and it reflects the history of the state, hence the Lone Star

[@1685Violin]

@@betterinthe80sdude The design of the flags may be similar but the meanings of the flags are different, expressed by two different kinds of people.

[@pointlesslyrelevant1054]

@GeoGeography ????? The texas flag is very recognizable, and a good mixture of colors. I’d say it is a good flag.

[@solarflea4115]

All the people shitting on the flag of Texas for “copying Chile” should take a look at European flags lmao. So many tricolors… So many Nordic Crosses…

[@ZDoko602]

Arizona's flag is iconic and top tier. You see it waving in so many unexpected places.

[@cumunist2120]

We have taken that top spot for so many years it’s nice to see some competition

[@mrsneedy1034]

@@cumunist2120 A+ username

[@doggycatalan]

Arizona flag us like the magnum opus of flags.

[@bluerefr]

Michigan has shown interest in designing a new flag as well, with a couple state representatives proposing a bill to change it. Perhaps Mississippi and Utah created the flag rebirth in the US?

[@Hollywood2021]

I hope so. Mississippi had that traitor flag for way too long, and Utah's was just unoriginal and boring. Hopefully the bill passes!

[@ilovecakecanihaveapiece]

I'm from Michigan. While I am very, *very* vocal about my disliking of our flag, the bill has been stalled for the past 3 or 4 years. Also, tons of people really don't care about our flag. We just use the American flag

[@TheMrPeteChannel]

How about two mittens on a flag!

[@michigan_propaganda]

The day Michigan gets a new flag is the day I can die in peace

[@paulblichmann2791]

Mississippi was perfect the way it was.

[@davidbrewer9030]

I am from California. I have always thought it sad that it is the only state that has as a state animal the California Grizzly that was hunted to extinction.

[@markrichards6863]

Yeah, they should replace the bear with a Kardashian. They're everywhere, and reproduce like roaches.

[@godstenrules]

I just find it weird how our flag uses a white background

[@Tubular_dude_20y_ago]

It was a symbol of our fauna before, but even now it can be used as a symbol to encourage the maintenance of our home and its splendor with the face of our past mistakes.

[@WolfRamAndHart]

Explains why they have a "scared bear" on the flag...its realistic.

[@jasonosorio2723]

@@godstenrulesthe flag is based of a white flag with a red star from a rebellion that occurred in 1830 against the Mexican governor.

[@ShawnRavenfire]

I'm from Pennsylvania, and I've been saying for years that our flag should have a keystone on it.

[@christopherkowalczyk4405]

I've seen this gone over on CGP Grey and I think I'm the odd one since my tastes go against the rules for flags. I like Pennsylvania's flag, grew up there, have lived in Arizona for 16 years, and am looking forward to moving back. I love the heraldry look of the flag, I think Maryland is the one that pulls that look the best. My only fix would be the three parts of the seal. Two images are about farming and Pennsylvania being the old breadbasket for the colonies fits, but switch one out for the military history. Maybe crossed cannons like the army seal used

[@ShawnRavenfire]

@@christopherkowalczyk4405 I love the seal as well. What I would do is put the seal inside a keystone frame, or something like that.

[@watertowerguy]

I honestly think Pennsylvania has the best seal flag and generally a pretty ok flag. Im bias I’m from PA.

[@CTJM_Middleton]

Pennsylvania's flag is actually pretty good, I don't think they need to change it.

[@ShawnRavenfire]

@@watertowerguy I have a tattoo of the seal!

[@jancatperson8329]

Maryland’s may seem chaotic, but everyone in Maryland loves it. The Orioles wear it on a patch on their sleeve. The University of Maryland uses it as the school flag and the sports teams use all four colors in their uniforms (usually pairing either black with gold or red with white as the dominant colors). And that is a flag that people will fly in their yards alongside the US flag. I’m also partial to Rhode Island’s flag. Yes, I’ve lived in both Maryland and Rhode Island. But more recently, I’ve lived in states with seal on a bedsheet flags, and the less said about them, the better.

[@ChuckThree]

Living in Virginia, I absolutely cannot stand the Maryland flag for a multitude of reasons. *BUT* it is far more interesting and memorable than anything other than the top 10 state flags. The MD flag might not meet the “can a school child draw it from memory” quota but it’s infinitely better than any of the other big NE states.

[@dsarmy1]

I lived in Maryland for 10 years. I loved the flag. I also really like DC's flag. They are both different so that helps set them apart.

[@ReddwarfIV]

@@ChuckThree Personally, i think the "child cannot draw it" is the most silly of the vexillological rules. Many historical flags, which often looked awesome, couldn't be drawn by children. A flag should not be defined by whether children can draw it, but by how recognisable it is. This is also why I've grown to really dislike tricolours. It worked for france because they were explicitly rejecting monarchy and aristocracy and creating a new tradition for their republic. But almost everyone else seems to be doing it because it means they don't have to put any effort in. Just choose three colours no one else has and there's your flag. Or worse, choose colours that are already in use, and rotate the flag, like it's your Original Character (Do Not Steal!) Complex flags can be great,they just have to not be cluttered.

[@CavemanSynthesizer]

I have a Maryland state park cap that my aunt who lives in Maryland bought me because I lost the Maryland state park cap that I'd had previously.

[@markrichards6863]

It looks like a reject test pattern.

[@spinalobifida]

What you said about Alabama looking like a confederate flag. It's a Saint Andrew's Cross. Same with Florida.

[@RestingJudge]

So was the Confederate battle flag, with Florida though, the spacing makes it look more like the old Spanish flag.

[@delfinenteddyson9865]

@@RestingJudge well it was spanish for quite some time, so it's very fitting

[@sjTHEfirst]

And it was now the “Confederate Battle Flag”. If was the battle flag of the army of northern Virginia.

[@player17wastaken]

Edit: DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS. I was wrong, the intended symbolism of the Flag of Alabama is unknown. I'm leaving this comment here for preservation's sake. The difference is that Alabama's flag was designed to invoke images of the confederacy. Florida's flag is that way because of the Cross of Burgundy, one of the two banners which flew over Florida during Spanish rule (the monarchs of Spain at the time were also dukes of Burgundy).

[@Zepellin]

@@player17wastakenwhere is your source to this? As I and other Alabamians agree our flag is based on the Spanish cross of burgundy

[@AverytheCubanAmerican]

Yup, Chicago indeed has one of the best city flags around! Though me personally I think Zheleznogorsk in Russia has the best flag for a city or town. I mean, it's a bear SPLITTING THE NUCLEUS OF AN ATOM! It's a closed town (formerly known as Krasnoyarsk-26; closed cities were named after the nearest city and a special postcode) because it was important during the Soviet era for plutonium production, so it's quite fitting! Here's the symbolism of the Chicago flag if you're wondering: Initially the flag had just two stars when it was adopted in 1917, but it changed to three in 1933 and then a fourth in 1939. Each six-pointed star (six points were chosen because no other flag had this when it was made) represents an event in Chicago's history. The Great Chicago Fire of 1871, the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893, the Century of Progress Exposition of 1933, and the establishment of Fort Dearborn in 1803. And each point on these stars has a meaning. For the Great Chicago Fire for example the points represent the virtues of religion, education, aesthetics, justice, beneficence, and civic pride. The three white bars represent the North, West, and South Sides of Chicago. The top sky-blue bar represents Lake Michigan and the North Branch of the Chicago River, while the bottom bar represents the South Branch of the river and the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal,

[@Hollywood2021]

Haven't seen a post from you in awhile homey claus..thank you for explaining the flag in such detail! btw I heard Ms. O'Leary was framed and she didn't really cause the Chicago fire. The Irish were being discriminated against petty hard in the 1870's and she was a scapegoat.

[@francogiobbimontesanti3826]

The zheleznogorsk flag is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen, holy shit

[@joeskis]

I asked my nephew who went to college in Chicago why he likes Argentina.

[@warsawpoland7807]

I can finally brag

[@WilliamHostman]

Alaska's State Flag was designed by Benny Benson. The State Song is an ode to Benny's design, built around his eloquent explication: ---------- Eight stars of gold on a field of blue, Alaska's flag, may it mean to you, The blue of the sea, the evening sky, The mountain lakes and the flowers nearby, The gold of the early sourdough's dreams, The precious gold of the hills and streams, The brilliant stars in the northern sky, The "Bear," the "Dipper," and shining high, The great North Star with its steady light, O'er land and sea a beacon bright, Alaska's flag to Alaskans dear, The simple flag of a last frontier. ---------- Words by Marie Drake. Music by Ellen Dusenberry. A historical tale second verse was added in 1986, by Carrol Davis. Having grown up in Anchorage, Benny has been commemorated as the nameake for one or another special educational institution over the years, and the second building, "School within a School" is the Benny Benson Building. Likewise, there is a Benson Blvd named for him; it's one way, towards the mountains... (Northern Lights runs the other direction a block north). No longer living there, I found myself suddenly tearing up at the Alaska flag. I'll never move back, but I'll also always think of it fondly. And I'll fondly remember the hundreds of kids to whom I taught it.

[@JIKwood]

The red on the bottom of the utah flag is a reference to the red rocks in the south. The more you know. And yes i'm proud of our new one.

[@ellie8161]

I’m glad you mentioned the Maine flag! I live here and the way you describe people from Chicago, DC, and California proudly flying their flags is how it is here… except with a flag that isn’t officially used! You see it *everywhere*, not just on flagpoles but on clothes and other designs too. This has all happened in just the past few years! People have been trying to get the state to adopt it, but legislators haven’t accepted it I guess. (There’s talk of making it part of the new official license plate, but I worry that they’ll not bother with the actual flag if they do that.) Anyways I’m glad I stumbled across this video! I didn’t know about the new Utah flag until now. That Kansas one at the end is badass, which I wasn’t expecting for a Kansas town flag lol. As far as state flags go, I like Indiana’s a lot.

[@brandon9172]

Same with the northwests flag. You never see the states respective flags, just the regional one.

[@bend-oof]

The Arizona flag was actually meant to portray a sunset. The yellow and red rays are for sunsets, the copper star in the middle because it’s the copper state, and the blue is meant to show liberty towards the U.S.A and its actually the exact same shade of blue as the U.S.A’s flag has.

[@kristophersurma6459]

Ok that is a bit ironic given the US doesn’t technically standardize the shade of red or blue in the flag.

[@bend-oof]

Yeah it kinda is.

[@fredrickmarsiello4395]

​​@kristophersurma6459 According to the U.S. Department of State, the flag's official colors are “Old Glory Red,” “Old Glory Blue,” and basic “White.” The exact colors of the American flag are specified in the 10th edition of the Standard Color Reference of America - a textile color swatch book produced by the Color Association of the United States. the Pantone system the colors are: Blue PMS 282 and Red PMS 193.

[@kristophersurma6459]

@@fredrickmarsiello4395 mate those are not government produced books. While commonly sited as an “official source” it’s actually completely independent of government oversight and as such isn’t in any way an official source. Heck the most “official” sources I can find mostly give a variety of options in their codes.

[@_Devil]

The majority of State Flags are boring because they (the ones with the blue background) were made during a time when people thought that having a unique state flag would "detract" from greater American Patriotism and was seen as an "Unamerican" activity to participate in. But I'm glad to see the states coming up with their own new cool designs!

[@varkr2066]

Sounds appropriate. State flags were kept from inspiring regional/cultural identity that might inspire cultural separation. Flags should be official as they represent something. They're not just "nice to look at"

[@DamonNomad82]

That's exactly why so many state flags have a navy blue background. That was the color of the Union during the Civil War, so it was seen as the color of patriotism and loyalty to the US and as a rebuttal to the Southern states' attempts to break away.

[@juandgm6171]

Florida's flag is not a confederate flag but a burgundian cross that represents the Spanish...

[@navykip]

I just brought my brother, who lives in Utah, the new Utah flag.

[@Todrick451]

Tulsa's flag is damn impressive. raised in California, been living in Arizona for a while...now moving to Idaho, my soul dies a little looking at the ID flag.

[@brandon9172]

The whole state will drain your soul, not just the flag. Idaho sucks.

[@Tubular_dude_20y_ago]

​@@brandon9172 Most enthusiastic Idaho resident:

[@cts18]

@@Tubular_dude_20y_agoby far 💀💀

[@pika_plays]

As someone who lived in Tulsa both before and after the flag change, the amount that it has shown up since the change was made a couple years back is insane. It used to use our city seal, which was/is butt ugly, but they changed it to better represent both the large Native American population and Tulsa being an important part of Oklahoma and it's history.

[@Hollywood2021]

If you can’t tell what state a flag is representing, or you need a closer look, it’s an automatic fail. You should recognize it on a pole from 100 yards away through musket smoke…while someone is charging at you with a bayonet!

[@X1GenKaneShiroX]

Bottom line is that the more simpler the flag the the better it is. You most likely heard of the phrase that less is more well that is actually true when it comes to making amazing flags.

[@chimpazoo1143]

"the more simpler the flag, the better it is" no Maryland, Saint Pierre and Miquelon and the english Royal Standard are quite complicated "heraldic" flags and they are quite nice looking

[@mopar_dude9227]

Not if you want someone to know what the flag is for. With your logic, states should just have solid color flags, can’t get more simple than that. State flags should look “official”, not like something a kid made to hang from his tree house.

[@Goallpeashooters]

god no. I hate oversimplified flags. They are extremely boring. Utah's new flag is better then the original, but god the boring straight edges, and designs that were very clearly made with a computer just lack charm.

[@chimpazoo1143]

@@Goallpeashooters Someone who shares an opinion with me! I think they're the modern version of the "Coat of arms on a bedsheet"

[@Goallpeashooters]

@@chimpazoo1143 100%.

[@ToastedTater420]

As a Utah resident I am so happy with the redesign. So much nicer on the eyes, stands out and has good colors and meaning ( the beehive, mountains, and the red on the bottom of for the red rock canyons in the south, very well thought out). Last one didn’t stand out and was kinda an eyesore TBH.

[@Cybernaut551]

Ditto.

[@Chesemiser]

I personally don't much like it, but I am glad to hear that others do meaning that it wasn't a completely negative change.

[@EstrafaDC]

A really great video. One note though: I disagree with you on the Puerto Rican flag "symbolizing" it's islands!?!? There's nothing in that flag that reads "island" or it's own cultural identity. The Puerto Rican flag was adopted during the Puerto Rican independence movement inspired by the Cuban Independence Movement (which became the Cuban flag). They both wanted to use the colors from the U.S. flag because they saw the U.S. as an example of another former colony gaining their independence from a European empire. Sadly history proved the U.S. taking advantage of both independence movements to gain more territory and an empire. But that explains the colors and the PR flag's being a negative of the the Cuban flag's colors. Both Cuba and Puerto Rico's independence figures knew and supported one another and were living in the United States organizing support for their efforts against Spain.

[@hnskiyo2784]

Nevadan here and I would love our flag to be redesigned. Our neighbors CA and AZ’s are so iconic!

[@renaultft1917]

Also Nevadan here. I personally really like our current flag, even though it may play into the "blue background" trend, I think the blue is a perfect compliment to the white "silver" of our star and gold in the banner. Our icon is pretty simple but stands out in a way. I still respect your opinion and think that a future flag might be even better than now. Who knows what people might come up with?

[@RestingJudge]

As a Mississippian it was inevitable that a Magnolia based flag was going to win. The state is obsessed with those trees, and you'll see them prominently planted in the majority of towns. State still has rampant corruption and mismanagement but now we have a flag that isn't offending 40% of the population(and probably more) so that's nice.

[@markrichards6863]

It's a beautiful flag, but Mississippi is at or near the bottom of the heap in almost every rating.

[@cisium1184]

It looks like a corporate flag for a roadside hotel chain. It's godawful. That said, just removing the gold stripes would improve it considerably.

[@WolfRamAndHart]

Whats your opinion of the mosquito flag?

[@newstarcadefan]

@@WolfRamAndHart it should have won.

[@matthewjahnke6956]

😢 OK. What about heritage

[@aaronholcomb237]

A bee hive is also the state highway sign for Utah.

[@jbarmke]

Check out the Milwaukee People's Flag. Milwaukee has an incredibly ugly flag, so we held a contest to redesign it. It has yet to be officially adopted by the city, but it's become an unofficial flag for the city's residents. It's so well done!

[@claytonno2571]

I'm glad the Milwaukee flag represents its people. It would turn in to the same bland shit that corporations have been doing to company logs for years. they are supposed to be different and now conform to some random rules that make all of those who change into bland colors and random shapes. like" see this line and half circle it represents our state wow!" but, there is so so much more to a people than that!

[@jbarmke]

@@claytonno2571 Flags have opted for simplicity for ages. Three simple blocks of colors can still tell a story, the flag doesn't need to literally spell it out for you. Some of the simplest flags out there have been in use for half a millennium! Some of the most recognized flags are extraordinarily simple but full of meaning (Japan and Ireland for example). Simplicity is not a modern concept. The current push for better flags is to get flags that are recognizable (as opposed to just a state seal on a blue background that could represent any state from a distance), and create a flag that better represents the land and/or the people of the state. These "rules" are more guidelines to help create something legible, memorable, and aesthetically pleasing. Read about the meanings behind some simple flags out there, they might tell a lot more of a story than you think!

[@RachelleHinrichs]

Great video. I have always been fascinated by place flags. When I was a kid my dad had a sheet of stamps with all the state flags on them, and I thought it was so cool! Some really great flags you should peek at include the St Louis flag, which has the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers as well as the fleur-de-lis nod tothe history of the city. Another one is the Des Moines, Iowa flag with stylized bridges mirroring the 3 bridges in the city. Enjoying your videos a lot - I like your calm delivery and appreciate your time and research.

[@RoxRock4ever]

With Utah finally updating, the Four Corners/Southwest might really be the best region for flags in the country. Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and California all have top tier flags, and as far as simpler flags go Oklahoma and Nevada's are far from the worst.

[@Cybernaut551]

Ditto.

[@therealpigeon_]

Creve Coeur, MO has a lovely flag that reflects the French history of the former colony, and it, too, is everywhere

[@Deino-1]

I still like New Mexico's best. Simple, memorable, and only two colors.

[@juantiobecenti2457]

How about our old one lol

[@bryanCJC2105]

As a proud Californian, I absolutely love our state flag. I've lived in Los Angeles and San Francisco and surprisingly, both of those cities have truly hideous city flags.

[@westrim]

Hey, I like the LA flag. It goes well on a poncho. The San Francisco flag is good conceptually, just terrible artwork. Redo the phoenix and flames, toss the lettering, and it's good. The only real downside is that people might think it's Phoenix's flag, but that one looks like a Firefox spinoff browser.

[@Spongebrain97]

It's interesting to me because I wasn't born in California but grew up there and it never really dawned on me until I left that I was a Californian. Especially after playing Fallout New Vegas Iv come to admire the California flag more so and my past as being from there

[@kop1807]

The California state flag is good looking, except for the words

[@IONATVS]

@@kop1807 I personally find the words “quirky” in a good way, while they don’t contribute to its recognizability or ease of drawing, they don’t detract from it either, are intentionally colored and positioned to kinda fade into the hill the Bear is standing on, and harken back to a specific event in the State’s history. Generally I agree that no text or less text is optimal for a flag, but The NAVA’s longer manual on flag design (of which the usually quoted rules are a summary/TL;DR) clarifies that the main exception for when putting words on a flag make sense is when they act as a symbol-not so much “read” as “recognized.” And I think California’s flag achieves that, at least for Californians.

[@IONATVS]

@@westrim If the LA flag just removed the seal and replaced it with a single, strong charge (or no charge at all) I would absolutely agree. The “seal on a poncho” format is definitely leagues better than a seal on a bedsheet, but the seal is still too complicated to really work on a flag. But yeah, like with San Fran’s flag, it’s a good concept ruined at the last moment. Just a few changes would make it great.

[@regndeer]

I'm from Maryland! you really do see our flag everywhere. its a bit of an eyesore but its really iconic, locally fashionable and even sold as merch in grocery stores. it also compliments Baltimore's flag pretty well. its gotten some criticism for being colonial in origin and tbf the crab is probably a little more widespread as a symbol anyways, but any movement to change Maryland's flag will surely fail I can promise that.

[@howardcitizen2471]

When I first moved to Maryland many years ago, I thought the flag was hideous, but now I love it.

[@markrichards6863]

I think it would induce a migraine if you stared at it long enough.

[@MCMXI1]

I've loved your flag since I was a kid visiting there. #1 in my book distantly followed by Texas then Arkansas or New Mexico

[@Wadiyatalkinabeet_]

“It’s gotten criticism for being colonial in origin.” So criticism that doesn’t even matter lol

[@JIMBEARRI]

FYI, the Rhode Island flag is based on a quotation from scripture. Hebrews 6-19 : "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure". The 13 gold stars were an obvious addition. RI was the 13th of the original 13 colonies to ratify the Constitution.

[@thecluckster3908]

Honestly I don’t mind the “seal on a bedsheet” flags. The seals are very historical and used to be seen as some of the most important symbols in the US. And I might be a bit biased since I’m a Floridian and our seal is great (and by proxy, the flag is too)

[@vladandlaika]

Great video with excellent research! I have always felt that the Missouri state flag is underrated. Yes, it has the state seal at the center but the flag stands out nicely in a group of flags with the bold stars surrounding the seal and the red, white, and blue stripes. There's also a lot of history in those colors for the state. While I'm bragging on Missouri, I also think that the St. Louis city flag looks amazing and has great symbolism.

[@pointlesslyrelevant1054]

I really like the texas flag. It’s easy to recognize and easy for kids to draw, and great symbolism

[@troybaxter]

It also perfectly exemplifies what the state is. The Lone Star State.

[@Mainer207]

I've noticed more people here in Maine flying either the old state flag or the Acadian flag instead of the real state flag. I wish Maine would revert back to our old flag, but it would be nice if they added a blue fleur-de-lis in the top right corner to go with the north star. It would be a better design that represents the large french heritage in our state. After all, Louisiana's Cajuns originated up here!

[@HotRod12667]

I believe it was approved. The courthouse here is flying it.

[@victorniel368]

I grew up in PA, KY and go to Ohio a lot. Yes our flag bad, but some down here (including me) put it up to show pride. PA could use a redesign along with KY, but PA my that should’ve been changed to the keystone years ago.. Ohio is very unique and everyone has it up all the time, really like it.

[@bumblingbureaucrat6110]

Woo! Go Utah! My home state has been trying to simplify our flag for ages and I'm so excited for the new one to get rolled out!

[@Tindog81476]

I already bought one from colonial flags in Sandy UT, they have them already, you just have to custom order them!

[@AudreyC379]

The new flag for Utah truly looks amazing! I can't wait for it to become official, and I'm not even from the state! 😅😁 Congrats! 🎉🐝

[@fidole791]

looks like a company logo...

[@bobbyjoeno7779]

That's probably because flags are used in a similar way to logos.

[@frederickd.provoncha8671]

I agree. I live in Utah too, and I think the new Utah flag is great! I can't wait for it to be official as well.

[@goldenstarmusic1689]

Awesome video!! It's so great to see someone finally shout out Minnesota and the great flags in the US, and the policy to change the ones that aren't great! I'm surprised you didn't share the proposed redesigns though for some of these states, you should look at the North Star Flag design that is so popular, there's more people in this state with that flag than the actual state flag! I would also suggest looking at the flag of Duluth MN. It's very close in style to the North Star flag and it is my favorite city flag in the country, as it perfectly encapsulates the city of Duluth, with the hills, Lake Superior shoreline, and the gorgeous skies.

[@Strider_Bvlbaha]

SO glad to see you include the flags of Indigenous nations! There are some really good ones, and even a lot of the seal-on-bedsheet type flags are pretty standout. There's a level of seriousness I don't think is reflected in a lot of state seals and flags that Indigenous nations convey in their design choices, since most of them use sacred symbology. Even the colour choice is usually better since none of us are doing what most states do and trying to incorporate the colours of the US flag into our own--though sometimes this is by accident. My nation's flag (Oklahoma Chahta) is one of the oldest flags codified through official legislation for an Indigenous nation. Originally it was the Great Seal on a red background (red having important cultural connotations). It was briefly used during the Civil War period, then mostly forgotten about for several decades. When someone dug it back out to see about making more, the red dye had faded to * purple, * and that was what everyone went with. There are very few purple flags out there, which makes it pretty recognizable. As much as I'm not a fan of the seal-on-bedsheet style of flags, ours is simple and iconic enough I think it would be a major mistake to change anything about it. I think the same about Oklahoma's flag, other than I agree the "Oklahoma" on the bottom actually takes away from the flag--it's iconic enough without using words, witch is really the marker of a successful flag.

[@Cybernaut551]

Ditto.

[@SomniRespiratoryFlux]

I have a lot to say on flag design, so I'll start with a general point about the guidelines - I want to stress that they're not so rigid as some interpret them. For example, text is usually discouraged, but the California flag, for reasons I honestly can't quite explain, makes it work, and would honestly feel rather bare (hah) without it. The "a child could draw it" rule is probably the most misunderstood. Where I think most go wrong is that nobody said the child's drawing needs to be _perfect,_ just _recognizable._ The Maryland flag, as polarizing as some find it, is extremely iconic. A child would likely never draw it exactly as the design is. But they'd have to botch it pretty badly for you to not immediately pick up on what flag they're aiming for, unlike a lot of seal-on-bedsheet flags. I'm from Colorado, and I have to say, we're eating pretty good over here. The state flag is super iconic, it's used all the time around here, really ranks up there with CA/AZ/MD/NM/DC/PR. And Denver as a city flag is pretty high up there too. I also want to give a shoutout to a smaller city nearer to where I am, Loveland. The flag is used on major street signs and municipal vehicles in the area, it's blue/white/green, which is a nice color, and its design has some really neat but not in-your-face asymmetry. About the only issue with it is that the small inverted triangle is supposed to symbolize Lake Loveland in the center of town, which... has been rather dry as of late. Oh well, it's still a solid design. Now, as for my previous home state, West Virginia... Yeah, it could use some work. I think the worst part of it is that the seal itself looks kinda crude, and it being on a white background makes it more obvious when you look at it up close. I had a go of redesigning it on the vexillology subreddit several years back, I was never able to make a proper "clean" design of it because my art skills are lacking, but I'm still proud of the symbolism I came up with. Basically, I had a dark blue background, with a rolling, vaguely W shaped mountain range in two stripes overtop. The top stripe is green, representing the farmer from the crest and thus the agriculture and natural beauty of the state. The lower stripe is very specifically "old gold", one of the two official state colors (alongside blue), which stands in for the miner and represents the state's industrial history and natural resources. On the green stripe, I put seven white flowers with five petals each - simplified rhododenrons, the state flower, with 35 total petals for the 35th state. Above the two outer peaks of the stripes are two old gold stars, and below the middle peak is a third, upside-down star. These, in addition to adding a stealthy V to the W of the mountain range, represent the history of the state's relationship to the nation. The left star represents the state being admitted to the union as part of Virginia, the "fallen" star represents Virginia's secession in the Civil War, and the third star represents the state rejoining the Union and becoming its own state. Personally, I really like the design, it incorporates a lot of elements of the state while being distinct from other flags. But maybe I'm biased because I thought of it, but even after almost five years I think it holds up.

[@Sea_Stallion]

This video added so much more to this topic than anyone before. Let’s be honest that Grains and trains flag is a gem

[@RyeOnHam]

I absolutely love the new Utah State Flag. Kudos to whoever designed that and congrats to the state for actually adopting it!

[@SweetReed17]

I really love the Indianapolis flag. It is essentially the silhouette of the city center, with a star symbolizing the city's monument. Indy is also called the Circle City so the design works on two levels.

[@KC-Mitch]

Lol, you call out Minnesota directly for it's bad flag, and now they up and changed it 😂

[@jeepmega629]

The new Utah and Mississippi flags look so good! Goes to show that when you put effort into something it turns out great.

[@Tystayl]

As a born and raised Utah, thank you for the compliment on my states new flag. I love it😊

[@Atreides217]

Great video! I live in Minnesota and really hope we get a new flag soon that better represents our state!

[@djmck1973]

Maine is going back to their old flag. We lived in Taunton, MA which has one of the first Revolutionary War flags as its city flag. Can see it flown on almost any home and I bought one

[@GrrantThePlant]

I love how New Jersey's isn't on the US map at the beginning lol

[@Shadow_Drip]

0:17 "..Hard to recognize.." That was one of the most recognizable flags you could put I think

[@spaghettiisyummy.3623]

As Minnesota has a lot of People of Nordic descent, their Flag could have a Nordic Cross! 🇦🇽!

[@FuImaDragon]

Try looking at the St Louis City Flag, it is really nice. It has 2 rivers becoming one and a nod towards its French founding.

[@joeskis]

Just looked it up. Yuck. Looks like someone was trying to draw while riding on a bumpy road. Plus leave the banana peel logo to new Orleans.

[@daviddye7677]

The Kansas City Missouri flag has a great design. Red and blue field is an image in the shape of a heart composed of white lines. The heart symbolizes the city as the "heart of America". The white lines resemble a fountain reflecting the numerous public fountains in the city.

[@thomasrinschler6783]

Living in Phoenix AZ means I'm in a city and state that both have excellent flags!

[@billbaker3357]

I find it funny that the map of the USA with all the state flags on it just randomly decided to kick New Jersey out of the Union.

[@ianhomerpura8937]

Because of course, it's the Glorious Republic of New Jersey.

[@rmdodsonbills]

Okay, I have to stand up for my home and native land (South Dakota). First of all, I don't feel I should need to point out that cold does not mean dark. The sun shines in the winter, too. Second, "cold much of the year" applies just as well to all the states of the norther tier, but winter is not the nearly-year-long thing implied here. Third, as mentioned in "Home on the Range," the skies are not cloudy all day, unlike the rainy state of Florida that usually gets top billing for Sunshine States. Florida gets lots of rain which naturally comes with lots of clouds. South Dakota is dry, which isn't so great for agriculture, but does mean a rather sunshiny state.

[@rabidrabbits9258]

i actually liked the Utah flag, its the only flag with a symbol that looks like a federal symbol instead of a state symbol.

[@Chesemiser]

Yeah, I always did love the old flag.

[@thispersonwriting1889]

Same here.

[@samueldunham6411]

As an Alaskan I appreciate the recognition of our awesome flag. Everyone in AK knows that a kid (Benny Benson) designed our flag, but did you know it was a Native Alaskan kid? Fun facts!

[@trueelectricboogaloo]

Boy do I have news for Minnesota

[@LincolnDWard]

I think it's super interesting that so many state flags have their seals on them - on one level, it makes sense since they're both symbols of the state, but on another level the purpose of seals and the purpose of flags is almost...directly contradictory? The purpose of a seal is to indicate official status, and as such, it needs to be very difficult to replicate or copy. Tiny details serve this purpose - someone making a stamp with a state seal is going to have a hard time making it perfect without the official government resources. The purpose of a flag, on the other hand, is to be immediately recognizable - you should be able to see the flag waving in the wind and know right away what it represents. Tiny details are entirely useless for this purpose and may actually detract from it by confusing the viewer.

[@thatguybrando]

I’m a native Virginian and I wish we had a better flag. Ours is terrible. Colorado has one of the best flags in the country.

[@ethanreynolds3522]

I hear ya. I think Virginia needs a new flag as well. Perhaps it could have a flower on it.

[@thedeathstar738]

Wrong. Our flag is great. It represents our history.

[@Steam286]

As a Pennsylvanian, I am not very fond of the Keystone (or at least the common illustrated representation of it), being on a flag (or at least having an extremely prominent part on the flag). Perhaps it is just because I see it on tons of legal documents though I think part of it is the way the shape is commonly drawn (it is hard to pin down exactly what). I do like the depiction on the Heinz ketchup bottle thought; it feels more ornate and rounded. Incorporating a similar motif the keystone without its most common version being used is something that may work well in my opinion. William Penn's seal or the Pennsylvanian Navy flag may be another potential sources of inspiration but both have some shortcomings unless modified in my opinion (a very striking/dominating symbol for the former whilst being too similar to the US flag for the later). Pennsylvanian Dutch barn roundels, and Forested mountains may be sources of inspiration (whether in color palate or symbolism). I am not sure if a motif to the PA Dutch would be deemed acceptable to put on the flag if the rules were similar to the Minnesota competition (no symbols representing any one particular group), but given that it is one of the most historically significant and recognizable symbols of the state, it may be worth making an exception.

[@RubenKelevra]

0:22 This flag always reminds me of Russia. The font, the bear, the star and the white background (for snow) are all symbols I would put into Russia on a world map. It's kinda weird that people seem to love this as representing California.

[@jeffkardosjr.3825]

I wonder if the Soviets were actually inspired by this flag. Even the single stripe is something like something the Soviets would later do such as on a Ukrainian SSR flag or the ensign of the Soviet Navy.

[@RubenKelevra]

@@jeffkardosjr.3825 why would Russians go: Oh yeah it's freaking cold here, let's use elements of a flag where it's freaking hot in a country we hate? 🤔

[@Michformer]

Great vid as always! As for flag faves, Montgomery County’s (in Maryland) is a humdinger.

[@ElizondoAbelardo]

The new Utah flag is cool, but I wish they used a color other than red for the bottom, like some shade of orange. Red with the white and blue looks too generic in the context of a US state and gives it less distinctveness, such as the flag of Arizona. They could also have made a more minimalistic flag with the beehive emblem but only using blue and yellow.

[@Tindog81476]

Well, it's actually because the southern part of our state is red! That's why it was chosen, southern Utah is covered in red rock like the Moab or St. George area. So it's to symbolize southern Utah. It wouldn't mean the same if it were orange. Plus our mountains are white, especially this year!

[@ElizondoAbelardo]

@@Tindog81476 Yeah, I get that, but I just think a reddish shade of orange would have made the flag more distinctive. Think of like when sports teams base their jersey colors of their country flag; it's nicer to have more distinctive colors and a state like Utah deserved that 😉

[@JonathonV]

Great video! I like how you showed the Canadian flag. For so long Canada used the “Red Ensign”, which was some heraldry on a red background with a British Union Jack in the top-left corner. Its use became problematic when Canada was asked to mediate the Suez Crisis between the Egyptians and the British/French alliance; it seemed like a conflict of interest to have the Canadian mediators having a Union Jack on their flag. Shortly after, designs were collected from around the nation. Maple leaves had long been associated with Canada uniquely and weren’t offensive or tied to our colonial past. One of the front-running designs, which was a favourite of the Prime Minister (thus called the “Pearson Pennant”), had two turquoise stripes on the sides and a red branch of three maple leaves in the middle. It was eliminated because some people thought that the blue and the maple leaves were too preferential to Québec, and in 1965, Canada officially got the flag it has today! Side fact: When all this happened, Canada was still technically (though not practically) subject to the United Kingdom. We didn’t become legally independent until our revised Constitution Act in 1982! So in truth we never should have been chosen as mediators. Ah well, the PM won the Nobel Peace Prize, so he must’ve done a good job. 😂

[@davidb708]

That old New Mexico flag is horrific

[@markrichards6863]

I'm not from NM, but I think their flag is really great. The colors are great, and the design in the center is like a petroglyph. I think it communicates a lot of ideas in a simple way.

[@bilgriffin]

The flag of Guayaquil, Ecuador is one of my favorites for its simplicity.

[@Lv-nq9qz]

I live in NY and while I appreciate our flags historical references, I would like to see something a little more recognizable. The NYC flag isnt much better, in fact most of our county flags also embraced the old school seal on a sheet concept. Whereas you look at a flag like Arizona's or Texas, you know it right away. Ours is also hard to replicate, might be why you dont see it in murals or hanging outside of businesses.

[@no1ofconsequence936]

In Washington, the only place I regularly saw the flag up was a McDonald's which also had their own flag up along with the Star Spangled Banner. Then we move to Texas, where I see a pair of giant flags over a major road; the state and national flags. There are few states you'd know where you just by looking around, and Texas is one of them.

[@soupdrinker]

New Mexico is probably the best for being so simple, memorable, relevantly symbolic, and easily identifiable.

[@frederickd.provoncha8671]

New Mexico flag design is great, but I think the design in the middle is too small. They should have enlarged it a little bit, make it take up a bit more of the space in the middle. Other than that it's fine.

[@TheLegend2T]

Strangely enough I kind of enjoy the “SILVER NEVADA GOLD” flag. It’s got writing sure, but tỉ still feels pretty distinct.

[@stun3282]

I love my home state of New Jersey but we need a new flag badly.

[@MVGuyF]

I'm glad you admired RI's flag. I was born and raised in Rhodey & was proud to learn as a kid that we were founded on the principle of the separation of church and state. The Anchor represents the State's motto & was taken from the Bible verse: "Hope is the Anchor of the Soul." If oppressed peoples had to brave the storm & were lost at sea, they could seek refuge & find a home on its shores. An American ideal born in 1636.

[@PiousMoltar]

Aw that Massachusetts flag isn't bad, I like it, shame they're planning to replace it!

[@TheLiamster]

I’d love to see nearly every state get a redesigned flag. I’ve seen so many drawings and ideas which look great

[@RoamingBears]

A bit disappointing you did not cover Tennessee or Wyoming's current flags. Tennesseans take Texas level pride in their flag. The Tristar is everywhere - including on top of Nashville's most iconic skyscraper as well as a beautiful marble terrace on the state's bicentennial mall north of the state capitol. And Wyoming with its bison flag, very iconic. You are very correct in that most states fail at flag design. Having grown up in Tennessee, I thought state flags were something every state took pride in. Once I grew up and got around the country, I was quite surprised to see that there are so many horrid and lazy flag designs out there. But then again I also thought state capitol complexes were supposed to be grand and a center of pride for a state, such as it is in Tennessee. But then I went to Montgomery, AL, and Little Rock, AR....

[@jcprov9481]

I’m from Wyoming and I love our flag here, dare I say it but I like Colorado’s flag as well.

[@edwardmiessner6502]

You may not like the Massachusetts state flag but to me the flag is iconic because I grew up there. The designers just took the seal and filled the flag with it. Imagine it as a white circle inside a blue field (yeah, no!).

[@markrichards6863]

It's a forward looking, progressive state, with an old fashioned nothing burger for a flag

[@johnortmann3098]

Nebraska desperately needs a new flag (currently seal on blue). What scares me is that they'd probably come up with something worse.

[@originalph00tbag]

Red serif N on white field.

[@HelpICantThinkOfACleverName]

I hear that the flag of Nebraska once flew upside-down, at the state capitol building for several days until someone noticed. If that isn't an indicator that your flag is bad or not, I don't know what is.

[@DamonNomad82]

As a longtime resident of Nebraska, 95 percent of its problems as a state comes from the fact it has a unicameral legislature. Some of the less sane residents try to use that as a point of pride, but if the other 49 states and the Federal government all have bicameral legislatures, it just might be because that works better! I agree that if one could get the state to change the flag, that they would probably make it even worse by doing something like keeping the state seal but changing the background color from navy blue to pea soup green or sewage brown. Honestly, the only safe way to do it would be to design the new flag first (and make the design a definite improvement) and only have the state residents vote to adopt it.

[@OpinionesDeJACCsOpinions]

I mean corn could be something that might inspire people?

[@OpinionesDeJACCsOpinions]

@@DamonNomad82 Unicamerals aren't to blame for bad governance, because look at Sweden!

[@waldwick]

Absolutely love the flags of Phoenix, Omaha (proposed) and Portland, Oregon. They have so much originality with Phoenix giving Japanese prefecture vibes and Portland taking a nordic cross to an amazing level. And Mesa's flag gets severely slept on too.

[@IndianaBones0080]

STOP WRITING NAMES ON FLAGS

[@randallminchew6780]

I like the new Utah flag. It’s no longer a boring seal flag. The state seal is nice but it’s no flag.

[@nommindymple6241]

I highly recommend CGP Grey's similar video from two weeks ago.

[@lc8199]

I don't like seals on blue background but Virginia's seal is badass and shouldn't change.

[@dom1310df]

I really dislike flags defaced with a seal or coat of arms. It just makes the flag too busy. The flag of Maryland is derived from the heraldic arms of the 2nd Baron Baltimore, which were a combination quarterly of the arms of the Calvert and Crossland families he descended from. The Calvert arms also appear (defaced) as the flag of Baltimore.

[@ressljs]

I like some of the state seals. I'm originally from Pennsylvania, and yes, we have a state seal over the generic blue background. If it were up to me, I'd simplify the seal somewhat, but keep it recognizable with the horses and shield. And then change up the background. I don't care what, but not only in the dark blue generic, but the dark colors of the seal don't stand out.

[@daemynrall-santos8977]

I’m from Nevada, and I’ve always hated our flag. Las Vegas’ flag also sucks, but Reno actually has a fantastic one and could honestly be our state flag because of how good it is

[@Airehcaz]

My opinion is that most of them are getting WORSE I vehemently disagree with the “good flag bad flag” criteria that the vexillological association pushes so dogmatically. They are making the entire suite of state and city flags turn into soulless, same-samey, boring and uninteresting designs. I am so god damned annoyed at this new wave of flag reform.

[@gardenmusicnotebook2748]

So true. And they are being completely stripped of any sense of history. Some triangles for mountains, stars😒

[@TheDiscrazy]

Wrong.

[@CnekYT]

personally, the Calgary city flag is likely my favourite city flag, it's so good and works really well with the city

[@xeltograit]

My favorite is Ohio... but that's probably because I'm from there (and it's one of the better designs). I'll go with New Mexico as my favorite non-Ohio flag, and Utah as the most-improved flag, because when, on a scale of 1-10, your design scores a 0, then any improvement is an infinite one.

[@Chesemiser]

I'm a Utah native and I must say that I loved the old one and hate the new one, but at least someone disagrees with me, glad you like it.

[@de132]

The Vermont Republic flag was also the flag of the Green Mountain Boys, a militia that fought in the French and Indian Wars and U.S. revolution, although there have been some other instances of groups calling themselves the Green Mountain Boys who fight from Vermont (see: Vermont National Guard). The Green Mountain Boys actually predated the Vermont Republic. (Vermont is also derived from French, Verd Mont, for "Green Mountain", by explorer Samuel de Champlain, but you probably knew that)

[@retiredarchitect3462]

I love the Maryland flag! It is historic and graphically strong.

[@markrichards6863]

Its so ugly, it's good.

[@kentchamberlain5720]

TRAINS AND GRAINS. Top tier content.

[@SilverState99]

The city of reno made a pretty good flag.

[@geisaune793]

I've gotta bring some attention to some of the flags of my home state, Missouri. No disrespect to any other flags out there, but, as unbiased as I can be, I think we've got some genuinely good flags, from just an aesthetic point of view (other than the state flag itself lol). St. Louis, Kansas City, Columbia, and Springfield all have really good flags. Springfield just recently redesigned theirs.

[@TRquiet]

Congratulations on Minnesota’s new, much improved flag!

[@sunshineimperials1600]

“Minnesota’s new flag is so much better!” - Said nobody

[@Chesemiser]

Sure... improved...