South Dakota State Motto: Under God the People Rule
Fact-checked • Updated December 5, 2025
OFFICIAL STATE SEAL
"Under God the People Rule"
Under God the People Rule
About This Motto
The South Dakota state motto is Under God the People Rule. Reverend Joseph Ward suggested this phrase at the 1885 Constitutional Convention. Ward founded Yankton College and chaired the Committee on the Great Seal. South Dakota adopted the motto in 1885, then reaffirmed it when joining the Union in 1889.
What the Motto Means
Under God acknowledges divine authority above human government. The People Rule asserts popular sovereignty and self-governance. Together? The phrase balances religious acknowledgment with democratic principles. Citizens hold power, but divine providence guides their choices.
Ward picked plain English instead of Latin. Direct language. No translation barriers. Every South Dakota resident could understand these five words immediately. The phrasing links spiritual authority with citizen control of government, making this one of the more philosophically complex state mottos despite its simplicity.
Historical Background
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1883 - Early Convention
South Dakota held its first constitutional convention in 1883 while still a territory. Delegates drafted a constitution but Congress refused statehood. The committee worked on seal designs during this period.
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1885 - Constitutional Convention
A second constitutional convention met in 1885. Reverend Joseph Ward chaired the Committee on the Great Seal and suggested both the design and motto. The convention approved his recommendations. The 1885 constitution included this wording even though South Dakota remained a territory.
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1889 - Statehood and Reaffirmation
South Dakota became the 40th state on November 2, 1889. The new state constitution retained the motto and seal from 1885 with minor modifications. Article XXI, Section 1 specified the Great Seal design and confirmed the motto as official. Ward died on December 11, 1889, just weeks after statehood, too ill to attend the final convention.
Where You See It Today
The motto arcs across the top of South Dakota's Great Seal in black letters on a golden background. Below it, the seal shows a smelting furnace and mining works on the left, a farmer plowing on the right, with a river and steamboat running between them. Hills rise in the background alongside cattle and cornfields.
Visit any South Dakota government office and you'll see this seal on documents, letterheads, and official correspondence. The state flag displays the Great Seal in its center, surrounded by a gold sun on a blue field. Mount Rushmore State appears below the seal on the current flag design, which replaced Sunshine State in 1992.
Interesting Facts About the Motto
Fact 1 of 7
Joseph Ward suggested mottos for both South Dakota and North Dakota at various constitutional conventions.
Sources & References
This article has been researched using authoritative sources to ensure accuracy and reliability. All information has been fact-checked and verified against official government records.
Official state symbols documentation. • Accessed: December 31, 2025
State constitutional text on seal and motto. • Accessed: December 31, 2025
Historical context on Joseph Ward and state symbols. • Accessed: December 31, 2025
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