New York’s state motto, “Excelsior,” means “always to the top” in Latin. It represents the zeal of New Yorkers to strive for higher goals. The state seal and flag feature the motto, along with other symbols such as Liberty and Justice, the state bird, fish, and flower. Unofficial nicknames for the state include “The Excelsior State” and “The Empire State.” The Empire State Building was named after the latter nickname.
New York’s state motto is “Excelsior,” which literally translates to “always to the top” in Latin. The New York state motto was adopted in 1778 and is featured on both the seal and the state flag. One interpretation of the word Excelsior in relation to its status as a New York state symbol is that it represents the zeal of New Yorkers to strive for or achieve higher goals through hard work and perseverance.
The New York state seal bears a representation of the state coat of arms, which was officially adopted in 1778. The seal is in the shape of a circle with a light blue background and a smaller circle inside that bears an image of two women representing freedom and justice. Beneath their feet is a curled banner inscribed with the motto of the state of New York: “Excelsior.” The ladies Liberty and Justice hold a shield with a terrestrial globe, itself surmounted by an eagle. Another interesting feature is that Liberty’s left foot is perched on a crown to represent freedom from Great Britain. On the other side of the shield, Justice is blindfolded, while she holds scales in her left hand and a sword in her right to represent fairness and impartiality.
The New York state motto is also featured on the state flag. The flag was officially adopted in 1901, much later than the state seal and coat of arms. In addition to New York’s state motto, other unofficial nicknames for the state include “The Excelsior State” and “The Empire State,” which is the inspiration for the Empire State Building’s name. The Empire State Building was the tallest building in the world between 1931 and 1972; the title then belonged to the World Trade Center until it was destroyed by bombing on September 11, 2001.
Other official New York state symbols include the state bug, which is the nine-spotted ladybug, the state fish, which is brook trout, and the state conch, which is the scallop. The state bird of New York is the eastern bluebird, which is a songbird, while the state flower of New York is the rose. New York’s state fruit is the apple, the state gem is the garnet, and the official state fossil is the sea scorpion.
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