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Tennessee’s emblems celebrate two themes: the agrarian economy of the early republic and the state’s three grand divisions. The Great Seal, designed in 1801 and codified in 1987, features a plow, wheat, and cotton (“Agriculture”) above a steamboat (“Commerce”), with the Roman numeral XVI marking Tennessee as the 16th state. The flag, designed by LeRoy Reeves of the Third Tennessee Infantry and adopted on 17 April 1905, is one of the most distinctive in the nation: three white stars in a blue circle on a red field, representing East, Middle, and West Tennessee.
| State | Tennessee (16th state, admitted 1 June 1796) |
|---|---|
| State seal | XVI, plow, wheat, cotton, steamboat |
| Seal designed | 1801 (William & Matthew Atkinson); codified 1987 |
| State flag | Red field, blue circle with three white stars, blue fly stripe |
| Flag designer | LeRoy Reeves (Third Tennessee Infantry) |
| Flag adopted | 17 April 1905 |
| Motto | “Agriculture and Commerce” |
| Capital | Nashville |
| Nickname | The Volunteer State |
| State flower | Iris (Iris germanica) |
Great Seal of Tennessee — Agriculture and Commerce — since 1801
The upper half shows the Roman numeral XVI (16th state), a plow, a sheaf of wheat, a cotton plant, and the word “Agriculture.” The lower half depicts a boat on a river with the word “Commerce.” The year 1796 (statehood) appears at the bottom. Designed in 1801 by William and Matthew Atkinson for Governor Archibald Roane.
Flag of Tennessee — Three stars for three grand divisions, adopted 1905
A red field bears a blue circle containing three white five-pointed stars — representing Tennessee’s three grand divisions: East, Middle, and West Tennessee. A narrow blue stripe runs along the fly edge. Designed by LeRoy Reeves and adopted 17 April 1905.
XVI, plow, wheat, cotton (“Agriculture”), boat (“Commerce”). Designed 1801, codified 1987.
East, Middle, and West Tennessee — the three grand divisions, bound in a blue circle of unity.
LeRoy Reeves, Third Tennessee Infantry. Adopted 17 April 1905.
Tennessee’s two economic pillars: farming and river trade.
The state consistently exceeded volunteer soldier quotas during the War of 1812 and Mexican-American War.
Last reviewed by the Emblema Mundi editorial team on 2026-06-28.