Alabama

Alabama was first settled by Europeans with the arrival of the French in 1702, and under French control until the 1760's, when it became part of British West Florida until 1780, and then for 90 days, part of the independent Republic of West Florida.

The Republic of West Florida grew out of the American and British settlers who resented Spanish control, and the slowness of negotiations between the Spanish and Americans. A revolt led to the raising of the "Bonnie Blue" flag, which became the flag of the new republic. A simple white star on blue.

However, America annexed this new republic 90 days later, and the territory is added to the territory of New Orleans, before finally being added to the territory of Mississippi in 1812.

Alabama attracted many people due to the fertile lands, and finally achieved full statehood when it became the 22nd state when it was admitted to the Union in 1819.

However, in 1861, Alabama left the Union and became one of the founding states for the new Confederate States of America. Whilst Alabama did not directly suffer from the ravages of war, it did send 120,000 to fight. After the Civil War, Alabama was finally admitted back into the Union in 1869.

Historically the state heavily relied on agriculture, mostly cotton. Something grown on the backs of slaves (I am not going into race issues here). Today, however, agriculture has declined, to be replaced by aerospace, mining, health care and banking.

Most US states dont have a coat of arms, by a Great Seal. Alabama's first seal was introduced in 1817 when it was the Alabama territory, and was the first seal for Alabama upon statehood in 1819.

The first seal was a roundel featuring a map of Alabama pinned to a tree, and showing the states major assets. Its rivers. In the background you can see a riverboat.

After the civil war, a new seal was adopted with the re-admittance of Alabama into the Union in 1868. It features a ring around the seal with "Alabama" written in the top, and "Great Seal" underneath. In the centre is an American Bald Eagle alighting on a national shield. In its left talon, it holds 3 arrows. In its beak is a ribbon featuring the phrase "Here we rest."

Then, in 1939, at the request of the Governor at the time, a new seal was designed, bringing back the concept of the map. The new seal featured the map of Alabama in gold in the centre featuring the states major rivers.

However, Alabama introduced an official flag much later, with the first official flag being introduced in 1861. The first flag was plain blue, but featuring different images on either side. 

On the obverse side, it featured the Lady of Liberty, holding an unsheathed sword in her right hand, and a flag in her left. The flag features the states name in gold on blue. In an arch over the Lady, it featured the words "Independent now and forever."

On the reverse, a cotton plant (from which the state derived most of its income) and a coiled rattlesnake. It also features the phrase "Noli et tangere" in Latin. Meaning "Touch me not."

The current flag was introduced in 1895, and is a crimson St Andrews Cross on white. However, there is some debate of the ancestry of the flag. The flag of Alabama is sometimes depicted as square.

This may come from the fact that many suggest that the Alabama flag was inspired by the blue cross on the crimson Battle Flag of the Confederacy. 

Another possibility, and more likely, is that it comes as a descendant of the Spanish Cross of Burgundy which was in use at the time.

This does seem more likely, given that Alabama was part of the Spanish empire for a time, and the flag remained in use well into the 1800's.