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Michigan’s state emblems are remarkable for carrying three separate Latin mottos — more than any other US state. The Great Seal, designed by Lewis Cass (Michigan’s second territorial governor) and adopted on 2 June 1835, depicts the sun rising over a Great Lakes peninsula, a man with a raised hand of peace and a rifle, flanked by an elk and a moose (borrowed from the Hudson’s Bay Company coat of arms), with a bald eagle as crest. The mottos — E Pluribus Unum, Tuebor (“I will defend”), and Si Quaeris Peninsulam Amoenam Circumspice (“If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you”) — speak to the state’s frontier identity on the national boundary. The flag, adopted on 1 August 1911, places the coat of arms on a dark blue field.
| State | Michigan (26th state, admitted 26 January 1837) |
|---|---|
| State seal | Shield with sunrise over peninsula, man with rifle; elk, moose, eagle |
| Seal designer | Lewis Cass (territorial governor) |
| Seal adopted | 2 June 1835; current form 1911 |
| State flag | Dark blue field with coat of arms |
| Flag adopted | 1 August 1911 (third state flag) |
| Mottos | E Pluribus Unum • Tuebor • Si Quaeris Peninsulam Amoenam Circumspice |
| Capital | Lansing |
| Nickname | The Great Lakes State; The Wolverine State |
| State flower | Apple blossom (Malus domestica) |
Great Seal of Michigan — Tuebor — Si Quaeris Peninsulam Amoenam Circumspice — since 1835
The Michigan seal is one of the most heraldically complex in the nation, with three Latin mottos, two large animal supporters, and imagery rooted in the fur trade and the War of 1812.
A dark blue shield shows the sun rising over a lake and peninsula. In the foreground, a man raises one hand in peace while holding a long gun in the other — representing readiness to defend the state and nation. An elk stands on the left and a moose on the right as heraldic supporters. Above, a bald eagle serves as the crest, holding an olive branch and arrows.
The seal was designed by Lewis Cass, Michigan’s second territorial governor, and presented to the Constitutional Convention of 1835. The elk and moose were adapted from the Hudson’s Bay Company coat of arms, reflecting Michigan’s deep roots in the fur trade and the historical rivalry with Britain for influence in the Great Lakes region.
The seal was adopted on 2 June 1835. The current coat of arms was standardized by the Legislature in 1911.
Flag of Michigan — Coat of arms on dark blue, adopted 1911
The Michigan flag is the state’s third, adopted for the 75th anniversary of statehood.
The dark blue field bears the full state coat of arms at center — shield, elk, moose, eagle, and all three Latin mottos.
Michigan’s first flag featured the governor’s coat of arms on one side and the United States arms on the reverse. The second flag, adopted in 1865, placed Michigan’s coat of arms on a blue field with the US coat of arms on the reverse.
The current flag was adopted on 1 August 1911, as Michigan approached its 75th anniversary. It simplified the design to a single side — the coat of arms on dark blue — and has remained unchanged since.
Michigan has an official flag month running from 14 June through 14 July.
A blue shield with the sun rising over a lake and peninsula, a man with raised hand and rifle. Elk and moose as supporters, bald eagle as crest. Three Latin mottos: E Pluribus Unum, Tuebor, and Si Quaeris Peninsulam Amoenam Circumspice. Designed by Lewis Cass, adopted 2 June 1835.
Latin for “If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you.” Michigan’s official state motto, referring to the two great peninsulas surrounded by the Great Lakes. It echoes the epitaph of Sir Christopher Wren in St Paul’s Cathedral.
Tuebor is Latin for “I will defend.” It emphasizes Michigan’s position on the national boundary with Canada and the state’s readiness to defend itself — a concern dating to the War of 1812.
They are derived from the Hudson’s Bay Company coat of arms, reflecting Michigan’s roots in the fur trade and its rivalry with Britain in the Great Lakes region. Both animals were native to Michigan.
The current flag was adopted on 1 August 1911, Michigan’s third state flag. It displays the coat of arms on a dark blue field.
Last reviewed by the Emblema Mundi editorial team on 2026-06-27.