The North Dakota state flag features elements that are familiar to most Americans. The classic bald eagle carrying an olive branch in one foot and a sheath of arrows in the other, a national symbol representing “peace through strength.”
On the eagle’s breast is a red, white, and blue shield with 13 strips and above the eagle are 13 stars, referencing the original 13 states. The eagle’s beak holds a banner displaying the national motto “E Pluburus Unum,”, “Out of Many, One” in Latin, which is also found on the United States currency. There is also a red banner beneath the eagle displays the state’s name “North Dakota.”
New York
New York's state flag features the state seal, adopted back in 1788, on a blue background. It may sound redundant; however, the detail on the seal is a masterpiece in its own right. On either side of the coat of arms are two goddesses, Liberty, in a blue gown, holding a staff with a Liberty cap and Justice, in gold, blindfolded and holding her scales. They symbolize “Liberty and Justice for all,”. If you have a good eye for detail, you may have already noticed the discarded crown at Liberty's feet, symbolizing freedom from British control.
Above the shield, is an American eagle looking toward the west, sitting atop a globe, signifying New York’s unique place in the world, Western expansion, as well as opportunity and optimism. Below the seal appears a banner with the state motto, “Excelsior”, Latin for “Ever Upward”. On the shield itself, there are two ships sailing the Hudson River, with three mountains in the background, and a sun rising.
North Carolina
Red, white, and blue, with the state’s initials... North Carolina’s state flag is pretty straightforward but still manages to have a bold presence. A golden ribbon above the state initials "N" "C", separated by a white star, bears the date “May 20, 1775,” commemorating the “Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence,” the day residents declared themselves “free and independent people”. And a similar ribbon below displays the date “April 12, 1776,” the date of the “Halifax Resolves.” when the North Carolina delegates at the Continental Congress were to vote for independence.
Throughout the Civil War, the “The Old North State” Infantry carried a regimental and Confederate flag but besides that period, the 1885 design remains unchanged to this day.
Ohio
Adopted in 1902, the Ohio state flag, with its burgee shape, is the only none-rectangular state flag in the United States. The triangles formed by the five alternating red and white stripes represent hills and valleys, while the stripes themselves represent roads and waterways. The circle has a few meanings; it represents the Northwest Territory, the initial letter of “Ohio” and is also suggestive of the state's nickname the "Buckeye State."
The 13 stars to the left of the circle represent the 13 original states and the four additional ones to the right denote Ohio as the 17th state to join the Union.
Oklahoma
The Oklahoma state flag was inspired by its original Native American residents. The flag, designed by a Louise Funk Fluke, features an Osage warrior's buffalo-skin shield with seven eagle feathers hanging from it. In front of the shield is an olive branch crossed be a peace pipe laying. This seems to symbolize peace between Europeans and Native Americans; although some say the shield denotes that Oklahoma is willing to defend itself if challenged.
The six small white (sometimes red) crosses represent stars that symbolize the high ideals of Native American cultures. The shield is centered on a blue background, the color burrowed from the flag carried by Choctaw soldiers during the Civil War. The flag was officially adopted in 1925, and the state name in white letters was added to the bottom in 1941.