New York flag
The flag of New York consists of the state coat of arms on a blue background. It shows two sign holders :
- Left: The goddess Libertas with a Phrygian cap on her staff. Her left foot stands on a crown symbolizing the freedom of Great Britain .
- Right: The goddess Justitia with scales and sword.
The unheraldic landscape of the Hudson River on the shield testifies to the modern origin of the coat of arms. The two ships represent domestic and foreign trade, both of which are very important to New York. As a heraldic animal, an eagle stands over a globe.
The motto of the state of New York - "Excelsior" - comes from Latin and means "always upwards".
The flag's coat of arms was adopted in 1778. Today's flag is a modern version of the revolutionary war flag . The original is in the Albany Institute of History & Art .
On April 2, 1901, a law was passed that changed the background from yellow-brown to blue.