California — State Seal and Bear Flag

State	California (31st state, admitted 9 September 1850)
State seal	Minerva, grizzly bear, miner, ships, grain, 31 stars
Seal adopted	1849 Constitutional Convention; standardised 1937
Seal designers	Major R. S. Garnett (design) & Caleb Lyon (proposal)
Motto	Eureka (“I have found it”)
State flag	Bear Flag — grizzly bear, red star, “California Republic”
Flag origin	Bear Flag Revolt, 14 June 1846, Sonoma
Original flag painter	William Todd
Capital	Sacramento
Nickname	The Golden State

The Great Seal was adopted at the 1849 California Constitutional Convention in Monterey, designed by Major R. S. Garnett of the United States Army and proposed by Caleb Lyon, a convention clerk.

Elements and symbolism

• Minerva (Athena) — the Roman goddess of wisdom, born fully grown from the head of Jupiter. She symbolises California’s unique status as the only state (along with Texas) to skip territorial status and enter the Union directly — “born adult.”
• California grizzly bear — the official state animal, feeding on grape vines, representing California’s world-renowned wine industry. The California grizzly (Ursus arctos californicus) is now extinct in the wild — the last was shot in 1922 — but lives on as the state’s most powerful symbol.
• Miner — with rocker and bowl, representing the California Gold Rush (1848–1855) that transformed the territory from a remote Mexican frontier into the most dynamic region in North America.
• Sheaf of grain — representing California’s agricultural power, today the largest farming economy in the United States.
• Sailing ships — on the Sacramento River, representing commerce and the maritime trade that connected California to the world.
• Sierra Nevada — the mountain range in the background.
• 31 stars — California was the 31st state admitted to the Union.
• Eureka — Greek for “I have found it” (εύρηκα), the state motto, arcing above the scene.

Standardisation (1937)

The seal has undergone minor design changes since 1849, with the last standardisation occurring in 1937. The Secretary of State’s office controls the use of the Great Seal, which may not be reproduced without authorisation.

The Bear Flag features a California grizzly bear walking on a patch of green grass, a red five-pointed star in the upper left, the words “California Republic”, and a red stripe along the bottom — all on a white field.

The Bear Flag Revolt (14 June 1846)

Before dawn on 14 June 1846, about 30 American settlers led by William Ide and Ezekiel Merritt marched on the Mexican garrison at Sonoma and captured it without firing a shot. They surrounded the home of General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo and demanded his surrender — Vallejo invited them in for breakfast and wine. The insurgents proclaimed the California Republic and raised a hastily painted flag.

William Todd’s flag

William Todd — a nephew of Mary Todd Lincoln — painted the original Bear Flag on domestic cotton cloth supplied by Dorcas Prigmore. The red star was borrowed from the 1836 Lone Star revolt of Juan Alvarado and Isaac Graham. The grizzly bear represented the strength and ferocity of the Californian settlers.

A 25-day republic

The California Republic lasted only 25 days. On 9 July 1846, US Navy Lieutenant Joseph Revere raised the American flag over the Sonoma Barracks, ending the republic. But the Bear Flag survived: it was adopted as the official state flag in 1911, and its grizzly bear became the most iconic state animal emblem in America.

Why is Minerva on the California state seal?

Minerva (the Roman Athena) appears because she was born fully grown from Jupiter’s head — symbolising the fact that California was never a US territory. It skipped territorial status entirely and was admitted directly as the 31st state on 9 September 1850, “born adult” like the goddess.

What does Eureka mean on the California seal?

Eureka (Greek: εύρηκα) means “I have found it.” It is the state motto, referring both to the discovery of gold during the Gold Rush and to the principle of immediate statehood.

What is the Bear Flag and where does it come from?

The Bear Flag originates from the Bear Flag Revolt of 14 June 1846, when American settlers captured the Mexican garrison at Sonoma and proclaimed the California Republic. William Todd painted the original flag on cotton cloth. The republic lasted only 25 days before US forces took control.

What are the elements on the California state seal?

The seal includes Minerva/Athena (direct statehood), a grizzly bear on grape vines (wine), a miner with rocker (Gold Rush), a sheaf of grain (agriculture), sailing ships on the Sacramento (commerce), the Sierra Nevada, 31 stars (31st state), and the motto Eureka.

Who designed the California state seal?

The seal was designed by Major R. S. Garnett and proposed by Caleb Lyon at the 1849 Constitutional Convention in Monterey. It was standardised in 1937.

• California Secretary of State. Great Seal of California. sos.ca.gov.
• California State Capitol Museum. California State Seal. capitolmuseum.ca.gov.
• California State Library. State Symbols. library.ca.gov.
• HISTORY. California’s Bear Flag Revolt begins. history.com.
• Smith, Whitney. Flags Through the Ages and Across the World. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1975.

Last reviewed by the Emblema Mundi editorial team on 2026-06-24.