List of U.S. state mottos

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Here is a list of state mottos for the states of the United States of America. To promote tourism, states also establish state slogans, which are unofficial and change more often than state mottos. A separate list of U.S. state slogans is also available, as well as a list of U.S. state nicknames. Mottos for countries are listed separately.

State	Motto	Translation (if applicable)	Year and citation
Alabama	Audemus jura nostra defendere	We Dare Defend Our Rights (Latin)	1939^[1]^[2]
Alaska	North to the future
Arizona	Ditat Deus	God enriches (Latin)
Arkansas	Regnat populus	The people rule (Latin)
California	Eureka	I have found it (Greek)	^[3]
Colorado	Nil sine numine	Nothing without God's will (Latin)
Connecticut	Qui transtulit sustinet	He who transplanted sustains (Latin)
Delaware	Liberty and Independence
Florida	In God We Trust
Georgia	Wisdom, justice, and moderation
Hawaii	Ua Mau ke Ea o ka ʻĀina i ka Pono	The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness (Hawaiian)
Idaho	Esto perpetua	Let it be perpetual (Latin)
Illinois	State sovereignty, national union
Indiana	The crossroads of America
Iowa	Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain
Kansas	Ad astra per aspera	To the stars through adversity (Latin)
Kentucky	United we stand, divided we fall Deo gratiam habeamus	Let us be grateful to God (Latin)	1942 2002^[4]
Louisiana	Union, justice, et confiance	Union, justice, and confidence (French)
Maine	Dirigo	I direct (Latin)
Maryland	Fatti maschi, parole femmine	Manly deeds, womanly words (Italian)
Massachusetts	Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem	By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty (Latin)
Michigan	Si quaeris peninsulam amoenam circumspice Tuebor	If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you (Latin) I will defend (Latin)
Minnesota	L'étoile du Nord (Official state motto) Quae sursum volo videre (Territorial motto never repealed)	The star of the North (French) I long to see what is beyond (Latin)
Mississippi	Virtute et armis	By valor and arms (Latin)
Missouri	Salus populi suprema lex esto	The Welfare of the People is the Highest Law (Latin)
Montana	Oro y plata	Gold and silver (Spanish)
Nebraska	Equality before the law
Nevada	All for our country
New Hampshire	Live Free or Die
New Jersey	Liberty and prosperity
New Mexico	Crescit eundo	It grows as it goes (Latin)
New York	Excelsior	Ever upward! (Latin)
North Carolina	Esse quam videri	To be rather than to seem (Latin)	1893^[5]
North Dakota	Liberty and union, now and forever, one and inseparable Strength from the soil	Daniel Webster quote used on the Great Seal Motto used on the Coat of Arms
Ohio	With God, all things are possible
Oklahoma	Labor omnia vincit	Labor conquers all things (Latin)
Oregon	Alis volat propriis, and The Union	She flies with her own wings (Latin)
Pennsylvania	Virtue, Liberty, and Independence
Rhode Island	Hope^[6]
South Carolina	Dum spiro spero Animis opibusque parati	While I breathe, I hope (Latin) Ready in soul and resource (Latin)	SC Statehouse Student's web page, State Mottos. Retrieved on 2007-07-23.</ref>^[7]
South Dakota	Under God the people rule
Tennessee	Agriculture and commerce
Texas	Friendship (Caddo, Tejas) Remember The Alamo ! (Republic of Texas motto - never repealed)
Utah	Industry		1959^[8]
Vermont	Freedom and Unity
Virginia	Sic semper tyrannis	Thus always to tyrants (Latin)
Washington	Al-ki (unofficial)	By and by (Chinook Jargon)	^[9]
West Virginia	Montani semper liberi	Mountaineers are always free (Latin)
Wisconsin	Forward
Wyoming	Equal Rights
Non-state territories
American Samoa	Samoa, Muamua Le Atua	Samoa, Let God be First (Samoan)
District of Columbia	Justitia Omnibus	Justice for All (Latin)
Guam	Where America's Day Begins
Puerto Rico	Juan es su nombre	John is his name (Spanish) - in honor of John the Baptist
Virgin Islands	United in Pride and Hope