Iowa State Motto: Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain

Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain. Two clauses in English. First part declares value placed on freedom. Second part promises active defense of those freedoms. Together they form statement about protecting civil liberties.

What liberties? Freedom from tyranny, self-governance, representative democracy. Iowa entered Union December 28, 1846 as free state. No slavery allowed in territory. Citizens valued these freedoms after difficult path to statehood.

What rights need maintaining? Right to vote, own property, petition government. Right to trial by jury, free speech, religious liberty. Founders wanted clear statement that Iowans would defend these constitutional protections actively, not passively.

Eagle holds banner with motto on state seal. Citizen soldier stands center holding American flag and gun, plow behind him. Military readiness combined with agricultural work. Ready to defend liberties while building peaceful society.

You find the motto everywhere in Iowa. State seal appears on official documents, driver's licenses, government letterheads. Eagle holding banner shows up constantly. Most Iowans know the words without thinking about 1847 origins.

Iowa flag adopted 1921 displays motto prominently. Dixie Cornell Gebhardt designed flag in 1917. Three vertical stripes: blue, white, red. Eagle on white center stripe carries blue streamers with motto in white letters. Word Iowa in red below eagle.

Civil War connection gives motto added weight. About 75,000 Iowans served in Union army. One in five adult men. Some 13,000 died, another 8,500 wounded. State took seriously the duty to preserve Union and defend liberties against secession.

Modern interpretation focuses on civil liberties protection. Courts cite motto in cases about individual rights. Legislature references it during debates about freedom and government power. Words from 1847 remain relevant for contemporary political discussions.

Iowa Code, Title 1, Subtitle 1, Chapter 1A describes Great Seal. Statute authorizes Secretary of State to procure seal two inches in diameter. Eagle near upper edge holds scroll in beak with inscription Our liberties we prize, and our rights we will maintain. Legislature adopted seal design February 25, 1847.

No standalone motto statute exists. Words appear only within seal description. Iowa Code Title 1, Subtitle 1, Chapter 1A, Section 1A.1 provides legal authority. Section title reads Seal - device - motto but motto exists only as seal component.

What is Iowa's state motto?

Iowa's motto is 'Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain,' adopted February 25, 1847.

When did Iowa adopt this motto?

The First General Assembly adopted it February 25, 1847 as part of the Great Seal design.

Who created Iowa's state motto?

A three-member committee from the Iowa Senate created the motto and suggested its placement on the state seal.

What does the motto mean?

It declares that Iowans value their freedoms highly and will actively defend their constitutional rights.

When did Iowa become a state?

Iowa became the 29th state on December 28, 1846, about two months before adopting the seal and motto.

Why did Iowa face difficulties achieving statehood?

Boundary disputes with Missouri, debates over state size, and Missouri Compromise requirements for pairing free and slave states delayed admission.

Has Iowa officially adopted the motto separately from the seal?

No. The motto exists only as part of the state seal description in Iowa Code.

Where does the motto appear today?

It appears on the state seal, state flag, and official government documents.

Why is the motto in English instead of Latin?

The committee chose accessible English so all citizens could understand it without classical education.

When was the Iowa flag adopted?

Dixie Cornell Gebhardt designed it in 1917, and the legislature officially adopted it in 1921.