The Massachusetts state motto, “Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem,” means “By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty.” It was first used in the mid-1770s on the colony’s official seal by Paul Revere. The seal has undergone changes, and the current one shows an Algonquin Indian holding a downward-pointing sword. The state flag and coat of arms also feature the motto. The Indian on the flag was redesigned in 1898 to more accurately depict an Algonquin Indian.
The Massachusetts state motto is a mouthful in Latin, but speaks to colonial Massachusetts’ desire for freedom and liberty from English rule: Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem. In loosely translates into English as “By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty.” This motto refers to when the colony of Massachusetts officially broke off relations with England in 1775. The quote was taken from the works of Algernon Sydney, or Sidney, an English politician who was later accused of helping to plot against the King of England Charles II, and was beheaded.
The Massachusetts state motto in use today was first used by Massachusetts in the mid-1770s when it was inscribed on the colony’s first official seal by American patriot Paul Revere. The design shows a man in colonial garb holding a sword in one hand and the Magna Carta in the other, surrounded by the year 1775 and a Latin phrase, Sigillum Reipublicae Massachusetensis, meaning “Seal of the Republic of Massachusetts.”
The state motto remains the same today, but the original seal has undergone several changes. The official state seal today shows an Algonquin Indian holding a downward-pointing sword. The sword points to the banner which displays the official state motto of Massachusetts written in Latin, and the descending arc of the weapon represents peace. Behind him is a single five-pointed silver star representing Massachusetts’ position as one of the original 13 colonies of the United States.
The official flag also carries the Massachusetts state motto. The motto is written on the official coat of arms, which is depicted on the flag. The coat of arms has been emblazoned on state flags since 1787. The Indian that is shown on the state flag, coat of arms, and seal is a nod to Massachusetts’ early history, and some people believe it is Squanto, the Patuxet Indian who befriended the first pilgrims in 1621.
In the mid-1890s, the state sought to create a more accurate likeness of the Indian portrayed on its flag, crest, and seal. A number of ethnologists weighed in on the matter, leading to a redesign of its likeness being adopted in 1898. In the updated Indian design, the colors of the flag were not changed from the original white background and blue shield within the which the Indian stands with his sword. The sword, however, over time replaced the original design showing a downward arrow that was used during more peaceful colonial times.
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