The current state flag of Minnesota was introduced on 11th of May in 2024 together with a new state seal. Details in the old seal, which could be seen in the centre of the previously used flag, were cited as the reason for this. Allegedly, the old seal showed a distorted view of the colonisation of Minnesota by Europeans. The new flag is not popular, with a majority of the voting population (49 % of voters) opposing it and wanting to keep the previous flag, 21 % wanting it replaced with a different design and only 23 % supporting the project. Some counties have even rejected the introduction of the flag. Due to the low acceptance of the new flag, attempts are now being made to reintroduce the old flag as the "official historical flag of Minnesota", which means that it can continue to be used without any problems. In addition, efforts are being made to create clarity through a referendum. The state flag of Minnesota can be used by anyone. The previous flag of Minnesota was introduced on 19th of March in 1957. It featured a royal blue bunting with the central elements of the state seal on it. The motif of the seal dated back to 1849 and showed a landscape with a ploughing farmer and an Indian on horseback. The symbolism in the seal showed in detail many figures with their own meaning: an Indian on a horse – representing Native American heritage; a horse, spear, axe, rifle and plough – important tools used for hunting and labour; three red pines – the red pine is Minnesota's official state tree; a tree stump – embodying the importance of the lumber industry in Minnesota; fields and plough – embodying the importance of agriculture. This image in the seal was surrounded on the flag by a wreath of flowers and nineteen stars. The blossoms are those of the lady's slipper (Cypripedium calceolus), the state flower of Minnesota. The nineteen stars symbolised Minnesota as the nineteenth state to join the USA in 1858. The seal featured a red banner with the state's motto: "L'Étoile du Nord" - "Star of the North", which dates back to the time when Minnesota was the northernmost state in the USA. The three years 1819, 1858 and 1893 also appear on the seal. Fort Snelling was built in 1819, Minnesota became a state of the USA in 1858 and the first state flag was introduced in 1893. This was a design by Amelia Center and featured a plain white bunting with the central elements of the state seal in a similar arrangement as today. The flag was blue on the reverse. As it was very costly to produce this flag, the current flag, which is blue on both sides, was adopted in 1957. The seal of the flag was changed slightly in 1968 and 1983: The Indian on the horse was replaced by a settler in 1968, but was reinstated in 1983 with some changes. The blue colour of the flag was also made lighter in 1983.
about 8000 B.C. · Settlement by Indians (Ojibwa, Sioux)
17th century · French fur traders explore the area
1673 · a French expedition led by Louis Joliet and Jacques Marquette explores the upper Mississippi
1680 · a French expedition under Father Louis Hennepin, explores the St. Anton cases of the Mississippi
8th of May 1689 · France takes possession of the land, French colonization, to the colony of French Louisiana
1763 · Peace of Paris, France has to cede Louisiana to Britain
1783 · Treaty of Paris, the end of the Independence War of the United States against United Kingdom, all the land to the Mississippi is ceded by Britain to the United States
1787–1849 · different areas of present-day Minnesota are parts of different times in different territories of the USA: Northwest Territory, Indiana Territory, Louisiana Territory, Illinois Territory, Missouri Territory, Michigan Territory, Wisconsin Territory, Iowa Territory
1805 · the American explorer Zebulon Pike explores the country
1819 · founding of Fort Snelling
1845 · wave of settlement
3rd of March 1849 · creation of the Minnesota Territory (5.000 inhabitants)
11th of May 1858 · Minnesota joines the USA as the 32nd state
1860–1870 · wave of settlement by German immigrants
The name "Minnesota" comes from the language of the Dakota Sioux, and is means translated "fuming River", a reference to the Minnesota River cataracts (St. Peter River). Another translation reads: "with clouds coloured water".
