| A short
history of the Iowa State flag |
Iowa's flag seal
dates from 1847, one year after the state was admitted to the
Union. The seal depicts a flying eagle holding a scroll in its
beak, together with a soldier holding a flag with the Cap of
Liberty. It was this eagle that was taken from the seal and used
on the flag.
American soldiers in France were sent copies of their state flags by their families
in 1917, except those soldiers from states such as Iowa, which had no flag. The
Daughters of the American Revolution sought a flag for Iowa. The eagle and scroll
was put onto a white field, together with the name of the state. Many people
felt that state flags were unnecessary when the Stars and Stripes could serve
as an expression of national unity. It wasn't until March 1921 for the present
flag to be adopted by the state legislature. A member of the Daughters of the
American Revolution suggested that Iowa's part in the Louisiana Purchase of 1803,
should be indicated by the addition of the French red, white and blue, and this
idea was officially adopted. |
| A short
history of Iowa (The Hawkeye State) |
Iowa lies across
the Mississippi from Illinois, and until 1803 was part of The
French Louisiana. It was first settled in 1788, and became a
Territory in 1838. This was from the Louisiana Purchase. Iowa
was admitted to the Union on December 28, 1846. |
| Area
of Iowa |
56,275 sq. miles |
Capital
|
Des Moines |
| Major
Products |
Corn, soybeans,
livestock, (especially pig meat), coal, manufactured goods |
| State
Motto |
Our liberties
we prize and our rights we will maintain |
