The flag of Wisconsin was introduced on 29th of April in 1913. It goes back to a previous version, which was introduced in 1863 and was used as a state and troop flag during the Civil War and then until 1887. The flag was plain blue with the coat of arms of the state in the centre. This was also the case with the flag reintroduced in 1913. However, the coat of arms had been revised in the meantime (1881), so that it now differs in small details from the version on the 1863 flag. The coat of arms of Wisconsin shows a quadripartite golden shield. The quarters represent the state's individual industries and natural resources, but also the contributions of early pioneers to the development of the state: a plough (agriculture), a shovel and hoe (mining), an arm with a hammer in its hand (manufacturing, production), an anchor (shipping, transport). In the centre of the shield is a heart shield showing the image of the flag and the state motto of the USA and thus the support of the state of Wisconsin for the idea of the United States of America. To the left and right of the shield are a sailor and a miner, symbolising work at sea and on land. The shield rests on a horn of plenty and a pyramid of lead ingots, representing agricultural products and mineral resources. Above the shield is a badger, the official state animal, and a light blue banner with the country's motto: "Forward". The flag law was amended in 1979 to add the name of the state and the year of the state's joining to the USA in white lettering. This change had to be completed on all flags to 1981. It was not until the Flag Act of 1979 that the flag was described relatively clearly, so that the many versions that were in circulation could be contained, especially with regard to the depiction of the image in the centre of the flag. It is interesting to note that the Flag Act describes the blue of the flag as "royal blue", which would be a very dark blue, but in practice navy blue is used.
1673 · French expeditions led by Louis Joliet and Jacques Marquette explore the country, in the afteryears, French colonization of the country, part of French Louisiana
1783 · Treaty of Paris, the end of the War of Independence (United States against United Kingdom), all the land to the Mississippi is ceded by United Kingdom to the United States
1787 · today's Wisconsin is a part of the Northwest Territory
1800 · today's Wisconsin is a part of the Indiana Territory
1809 · formation of the Illinois Territory (including today's Wisconsin, parts of Minnesota and Michigan)
1818 · today's Wisconsin is a part of the Michigan Territory
4th of July 1836 · formation of the Wisconsin Territory, capital: Belmont
1837 · Burlington is the capital
1838 · Madison is the capital
29th of May 1848 · Wisconsin is the 30th State to join the USA
The origin of the state's name is not exactly known, but there are some theories. The name of the country is said to go back to the word "ouiskonsin" of the Miami-Illinois Indians, which translates as "place of the beaver" and refers to today's Wisconsin River. The French adopted the word for the entire region and it has been retained to this day. According to other sources, the name goes back to Algonquin-speaking Native American groups, namely to their word "meskowsin", which the French explorer Jacques Marquette (he was the first European to reach the Wisconsin River in 1673) wrote down as "Meskousing" and was adopted by other Frenchmen as "Ouisconsin" for the river and the surrounding land. Under the English, the French spelling was adapted to "Wisconsin" and officially used from 1845. However, what "meskowsin" may once have meant has been forgotten. Another theory brings the Miami Illinois Indians back into play, referring to their word "Meskonsing", which means "it lies red" or "that lies on red" and refers to the sandstone in the riverbed of the Wisconsin River. Ojibwa Indians are also mentioned, for whom "Meskonsing" could have had the following meanings: "red stone place", "where the waters gather", "great rock".
