The State Flag of Arizona

With its starkly graphic design and bright, primary colors, the state flag of Arizona is easily distinguished from its peers. Adopted by the state of Arizona in 1917, the flag was modeled after the flag of the Arizona rifle team which predated Arizona's official statehood.

Primary colors and their significance

The Arizona state flag is comprised of red, yellow, blue and copper. Both the red and blue shades are the same hues used in the United States flag. The red and yellow colors are the same colors flown by the Spanish conquistadors during their search for the seven cities of Cibola. Yellow and blue are also employed as the state colors of Arizona. Finally, copper is used to remark upon the fact that Arizona is the largest copper producing state in the nation.

Iconography, graphics and meaning

The flag of Arizona is split horizontally into two halves. The bottom half is a blank field of liberty or Old Glory blue. The top half features thirteen rays emanating from the center, alternating in colors of red and yellow. This represents the setting sun, a breathtaking sight in Arizona. The thirteen rays themselves harken back to the 13 stars on the original Old Glory and recall the thirteen original colonies of the Union. At the very center, a copper, five-pointed star is affixed.

Measurements and history

The standard prescribed size for the state flag of Arizona is four feet by six feet, with the star measuring 2 feet. This design is incredibly similar to the one employed by the Arizona rifle team in the 1910 national rifle matches. In fact, Colonel Charles Wilford Harris helped design both flags, acted as team captain during the 1910 national rifle matches and was Adjutant General of Arizona in 1912 (when he proposed the design of the state flag).

The state flag of Arizona has a long history, longer than Arizona's statehood. It is steeped in tradition and iconography and flies proudly over the Grand Canyon state.