The motto “Qui Transtulit Sustinet,” (He Who Transplanted Still Sustains), has been associated with the various versions of the seal from the creation of the Saybrook Colony Seal. While the origin of the motto is uncertain, the late Charles J. Hoadly, a former State Librarian, suggested in an article entitled “The Public Seal of Connecticut,” which appeared in the 1889 edition of the Connecticut State Register and Manual, that we look to the 80th Psalm as a possible source. “Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it.”
The official state motto of Colorado is “Nil sine Numine” (Nothing without the Deity).
The Latin phrase Nil sine Numine is commonly translated as “Nothing without Providence,” but it was specifically stated in a government committee report that the original designers of the Colorado state seal (which includes the phrase “Nil sine Numine”) intended the translation to be “Nothing without the Deity.” Numine is Latin for any divinity, god or goddess (God is a purely anglo-saxon word).
The State Motto that appears on the State Seal is the Greek word Eureka – which means “I have found it!” These famous words were supposed to have been uttered by the ancient Greek scientist Archimedes (c. 287-212 B.C.E.) when conducting an experiment to measure the specific gravity of gold.
During the 1849 California State Constitutional Convention at Monterey, the delegates had to agree upon a design for the Great Seal of California, which included a representative motto. They were following in the tradition adopted by other states. Since the seal’s design included a gold miner, it seemed most fitting to the delegates to adopt this phrase as the State Motto. It became the official State Motto in 1963. Seventeen California locations bear the name Eureka.
Arkansas’s state motto is Regnat Populus, which is Latin for “the people rule.” No other state employs this motto, in either Latin or English, although South Dakota’s comes close: “Under God, the people rule.” The motto’s use is mostly limited to the Seal of State and its derivatives used by various state officers.
The constitution under the terms of which Arkansas entered statehood in 1836 stipulated that the governor must “keep” the Great Seal of the State. Its design, mentioned in Article 5, Section 12, should be “the present seal of the territory, until otherwise directed by the general assembly.” That seal bore, among other elements, the Latin motto Regnant Populi, which could be translated as “the people rule.” The origin of the phrase, either in Latin or English, is unknown. Its promoter was likely the recording clerk of the first territorial assembly, Samuel Calhoun Roane, who is usually credited with the initial design of the territorial seal. The 1864 Arkansas General Assembly reiterated the phrase’s place in the state seal while specifying an updated, if not simplified, design for the omnibus emblem.
In 1907, the General Assembly acted to modify the motto’s Latin form in order to better communicate a sense of its English version. “The people rule” had originally been rendered in Latin as regnant populi, employing the plural form of the noun, i.e., “the (or ‘some’) peoples,” implying multiple groups. An act approved by Acting Governor Xenophon O. Pindall on May 24, 1907, modified the subject to populus, signifying a single group, as in “the people.” Adjusting the verb to agree with the subject resulted in regnat populus, in which form the motto survives today.
The United States purchased Alaska from Russia in 1867.
In 1963, as the 100-year anniversary of this purchase was approaching, a commission was formed to organize a celebration. As one of the events leading up to the celebration, the Alaska Centennial Commission sponsored a contest to come up with a centennial motto and emblem that would express the unique character of the State of Alaska. They offered a $300.00 prize to the winning entry. 761 entries were received by the Commission. In December 1963, the commission announced that they had selected Juneau newsman Richard Peter’s suggestion: North to the Future.
The Alaska Legislature officially adopted North to the Future as the official motto of Alaska in 1967, during Alaska’s Purchase Centennial celebration.
About the Alaska State Motto
The motto represents a forward-looking optimism, a state of promise. Richard Peter is quoted that the motto
“…is a reminder that beyond the horizon of urban clutter there is a Great Land beneath our flag that can provide a new tomorrow for this century’s ‘huddled masses yearning to be free.’ “
The motto also promotes the State of Alaska, advising that the future lies with the state to the north of the “lower 48”
The last 2 years we’ve been exploring the state flowers and the state animals. Starting this year, we’ll explore the state mottos and state trees. (I was going to do state insects–who knew the states had state insects?– but most turned out to be honey bees…LOL)
We start with Alabama. Their motto is…
“We dare to defend our rights”
The Alabama State Motto The Alabama State motto is expressed in Latin as “Audemus jura nostra defendere” which means: We dare to defend our rights.
The motto is sometimes translated as “We dare to maintain our rights”. The motto was approved on March 14, 1939.
The Meaning of the Alabama State Motto The meaning of the Alabama Motto reflects the aspirations and concepts of freedom, justice and independence. The motto also reflects the history of the War of Independence and the part Alabama played in the American Civil War.
Sew Colorful 