State Motto Quiz: Can You Match The Motto To Its State?

What's The Motto?

Did you know that every state has a motto? Ok good. But do you know what those mottos are? Now's the time to find out. We will provide the motto—you see if you can match it to a state. See how many you can get right...

Get 35-50 Correct: A-Motto-Mazing

20-34: A-Motto-Good

10-19: A-Motto-Okay

0-9: A-Notto-Good

Note: South Carolina, Kentucky, North Dakota, and Vermont all have two mottos...We went with only one each here though, so that every state appears just once.

Motto: Ad astra per aspera

English Translation: To the stars through difficulties

1: Mississippi

2: Kansas

3: North Carolina

4: Maine

marekuliasz, Shutterstock

A: Kansas

Capital: Topeka

Nickname: The Sunflower State

Admitted to the Union: January 29, 1861

Srudisell, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Motto: Agriculture and Commerce

English Translation: n/a

1: California

2: Texas

3: Idaho

4: Tennessee

Sixflashphoto, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

A: Tennessee

Capital: Nashville

Nickname: The Volunteer State

Admitted to the Union: June 1, 1796

Colon Freld, Pexels

Motto: Al-ki or Alki

English Translation: By and by

1: Washington

2: Oregon

3: Nevada

4: Michigan

Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

A: Washington

Capital: Olympia

Nickname: The Evergreen State

Admitted to the Union: November 11, 1889

Brylie Oxley, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Motto: Alis volat propriis

English Translation: She flies with her own wings

1: Florida

2: Oregon

3: Alabama

4: Arkansas

Oregon Department of Transportation, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

A: Oregon

Capital: Salem

Nickname: The Beaver State

Admitted to the Union: February 14, 1859

Sheila Sund, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Motto: All For Our Country

English Translation: n/a

1: Nevada

2: New York

3: New Jersey

4: Nebraska

Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

A: Nevada

Capital: Carson City

Nickname: The Silver State

Admitted to the Union: October 31, 1864

Davemeistermoab, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Motto: Animis opibusque parati

English Translation: Ready in soul and resource

1: South Carolina

2: North Carolina

3: South Dakota

4: North Dakota

Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

A: South Carolina

Capital: Columbia

Nickname: The Palmetto State

Admitted to the Union: May 23, 1788

Eisenthesky Productions, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Motto: Audemus jura nostra defendere

English Translation: We dare defend our rights

1: Arkansas

2: Maryland

3: Alabama

4: Mississippi

Jack Ryan Morris, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

A: Alabama

Capital: Montgomery

Nickname: the Yellowhammer State

Admitted to the Union: December 14, 1819

Carol M. Highsmith, Wikimedia Commons

Motto: Crescit eundo

English Translation: It grows as it goes

1: Nebraska

2: Illinois

3: New Jersey

4: New Mexico

Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

A: New Mexico

Capital: Santa Fe

Nickname: The Land of Enchantment

Admitted to the Union: January 6, 1912

MARELBU, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Motto: Crossroads of America

English Translation: n/a

1: Michigan

2: Ohio

3: Indiana

4: Illinois

Mark Goebel, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

A: Indiana

Capital: Indianapolis

Nickname: The Hoosier State

Admitted to the Union: December 11, 1816

Daniel Schwen, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Motto: Deo gratiam habeamus

English Translation: Let us be grateful to God

1: Kentucky

2: Pennsylvania

3: Louisiana

4: North Dakota

http://www.cgpgrey.com, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

A: Kentucky

Capital: Frankfort

Nickname: The Bluegrass State

Admitted to the Union: June 1, 1792

Kenneth C. Zirkel, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Motto: Dirigo

English Translation: I Lead

1: Texas

2: Maryland

3: Maine

4: Oklahoma

Fry1989, Wikimedia Commons

A: Maine

Capital: Augusta

Nickname: The Pine Tree State

Admitted to the Union: March 15, 1820

Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Motto: Ditat Deus

English Translation: God enriches

1: Arizona

2: Michigan

3: Washington

4: Florida

Skunkcrew, Wikimedia Commons

A: Arizona

Capital: Phoenix

Nickname: The Grand Canyon State

Admitted to the Union: February 14, 1912

davidpinter, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Motto: Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem

English Translation: By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty

1: Nebraska

2: Wisonsin

3: Massachusetts

4: New Jersey

Fry1989, Wikimedia Commons

A: Massachusetts

Capital: Boston

Nickname: The Bay State

Admitted to the Union: February 6, 1788

Karlunun, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Motto: Equal Rights

English Translation: n/a

1: Wyoming

2: Vermont

3: North Carolina

4: Rhode Island

http://www.cgpgrey.com, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

A: Wyoming

Capital: Cheyenne

Nickname: Equality State

Admitted to the Union: July 10, 1890

Smallbones, Wikimedia Commons

Motto: Equality before the law

English Translation: n/a

1: Utah

2: Deleware

3: Oklahoma

4: Nebraska

Liamgabby79, Wikimedia Commons

A: Nebraska

Capital: Lincoln

Nickname: The Cornhusker State

Admitted to the Union: March 1, 1867

Collinulness, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Motto: Esse quam videri

English Translation: To be, rather than to seem

1: Minnesota

2: Delaware

3: North Carolina

4: New Jersey

NC Department Of Transportation, Wikimedia Commons

A: North Carolina

Capital: Raleigh

Nickname: The Tarheel State

Admitted to the Union: November 21, 1789

Abhiram Juvvadi, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Motto: Esto perpetua

English Translation: Let it be perpetual

1: Idaho

2: Michigan

3: Texas

4: Minnesota

Paul B. Evans, Emma Edwards Green, Wikimedia Commons

A: Idaho

Capital: Boise

Nickname: The Gem State

Admitted to the Union: July 3, 1890

Patrick Rodriguez, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Motto: Eureka

English Translation: I Have Found It

1: New Hampshire

2: North Dakota

3: West Virginia

4: California

Stoops Lugo, Wikimedia Commons

A: California

Capital: Sacramento

Nickname: The Golden State

Admitted to the Union: September 9, 1850

Stephen Leonardi, Pexels

Motto: Excelsior

English Translation: 

1: New York

2: Connecticut

3: Iowa

4: Arkansas

State of New York, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

A: New York

Capital: Albany

Nickname: The Empire State

Admitted to the Union: July 26, 1788

UpstateNYer, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Motto: Fatti maschi, parole femine

English Translation: Strong deeds, gentle words

1: Maryland

2: Texas

3: Utah

4: Missouri

Di, Wikimedia Commons

A: Maryland

Capital: Annapolis

Nickname: Old Line State

Admitted to the Union: April 28, 1788

high limitzz, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Motto: Forward

English Translation: n/a

1: Hawaii

2: Wisconsin

3: Vermont

4: South Dakota

U.S. Post Office - U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing, Wikimedia Commons

A: Wisconsin

Capital: Madison

Nickname: Badger State

Admitted to the Union: May 29, 1848

Vijay Kumar Koulampet, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Motto: Freedom and Unity

English Translation: n/a

1: Vermont

2: Texas

3: Rhode Island

4: Florida

Simtropolitan, Denelson83, Wikimedia Commons

A: Vermont

Capital: Montpelier

Nickname: The Green Mountain State

Admitted to the Union: March 4, 1791

Artaxerxes, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Motto: Friendship

English Translation: n/a

1: Delaware

2: Utah

3: Hawaii

4: Texas

Tim Patterson, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

A: Texas

Capital: Austin

Nickname: The Lone Star State

Admitted to the Union: December 29, 1845

Rockerchi379, Wikimedia Commons

Motto: Hope

English Translation: n/a

1: Rhode Island

2: New Jersey

3: New Hampshire

4: West Virginia

Simtropolitan, Svgalbertian, Wikimedia Commons

A: Rhode Island

Capital: Providence

Nickname: The Ocean State

Admitted to the Union: May 29, 1790

Kenneth C. Zirkel, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Motto: In God We Trust

English Translation: n/a

1: Mississippi

2: Georgia

3: Florida

4: Ohio

Uploadimage.net, xrmap., Wikimedia Commons

A: Florida

Capital: Tallahassee

Nickname: Sunshine State

Admitted to the Union: March 3, 1845

Michael Rivera, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Motto: Industry

English Translation: n/a

1: Utah

2: Minnesota

3: North Dakota

4: New Jersey

Ali Zifan, Wikimedia Commons

A: Utah

Capital: Salt Lake City

Nickname: Beehive State

Admitted to the Union: January 4, 1896

Pasteur, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Motto: Labor omnia vincit

English Translation: Labor conquers all things

1: Colorado

2: Alaska

3: Montana

4: Oklahoma

Gabe E. Parker, Wikimedia Commons

A: Oklahoma

Capital: Oklahoma City

Nickname: Native America

Admitted to the Union: November 16, 1907

Lillie-Beth Brinkman, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Motto: Liberty and Independence

English Translation: n/a

1: Iowa

2: Delaware

3: Connecticut

4: Arkansas

xrmap flag collection, Wikimedia Commons

A: Delaware

Capital: Dover

Nickname: The First State

Admitted to the Union: December 7, 1787

Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Motto: Liberty and prosperity

English Translation: n/a

1: New Jersey

2: Missouri

3: Hawaii

4: Arkansas

Oknazevad, Wikimedia Commons

A: New Jersey

Capital: Trenton

Nickname: The Garden State

Admitted to the Union: December 18, 1787

Jin, Adobe Stock

Motto: Liberty and union, now and forever, one and inseparable

English Translation: n/a

1: North Dakota

2: Michigan

3: Virginia

4: Illinois

Lili Stewart, Wikimedia Commons

A: North Dakota

Capital: Bismarck

Nickname: Peace Garden State

Admitted to the Union: November 2, 1889

Christopher Boswell, Adobe Stock

Motto: Si quaeris peninsulam amoenam circumspice

English Translation: If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you

1: Illinois

2: Louisiana

3: Michigan

4: South Dakota

HoosierMan1816, Wikimedia Commons

A: Michigan

Capital: Lansing

Nickname: The Great Lakes State

Admitted to the Union: January 26, 1837

Andrew Martin, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Motto: Sic semper tyrannis

English Translation: Thus always to tyrants

1: Pennsylvania

2: Virginia

3: Ohio

4: South Dakota

Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

A: Virginia

Capital: Richmond

Nickname: Old Dominion

Admitted to the Union: June 25, 1788

mandritoiu, Adobe Stock

Motto: State sovereignty, national union

English Translation: n/a

1: Illinois

2: Hawaii

3: Montana

4: Kansas

Xrmap, Wikimedia Commons

A: Illinois

Capital: Springfield

Nickname: Land of Lincoln

Admitted to the Union: December 3, 1818

Shalileh, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Motto: Ua mau ke ea o ka ʻāina i ka pono

English Translation: The Life of the Land Is Perpetuated in Righteousness

1: Georgia

2: Mississippi

3: Hawaii

4: Ohio

Sodacan, Clindberg, Wikimedia Commons

A: Hawaii

Capital: Honolulu

Nickname: The Aloha State

Admitted to the Union: August 21, 1959

Richie Chan, Adobe Stock

Motto: L'Étoile du Nord

English Translation: The star of the North

1: Washington

2: Minnesota

3: Maine

4: Ohio

Myotus, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

A: Minnesota

Capital: Saint Paul

Nickname: North Star State

Admitted to the Union: May 11, 1858

McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Motto: Live Free or Die

English Translation: n/a

1: Colorado

2: New Hampshire

3: Montana

4: Vermont

Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

A: New Hampshire

Capital: Concord

Nickname: Granite State

Admitted to the Union: June 21, 1788

Wangkun Jia, Adobe Stock

Motto: Nil sine numine

English Translation: Nothing without providence

1: Connecticut

2: Missouri

3: Colorado

4: Louisiana

Svgalbertian, Wikimedia Commons

A: Colorado

Capital: Denver

Nickname: The Centennial State

Admitted to the Union: August 1, 1876

Sarbjit Bahga, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Motto: Oro y plata

English Translation: Gold and silver

1: Missouri

2: Arkansas

3: California

4: Montana

Xrmap, Wikimedia Commons

A: Montana

Capital: Helena

Nickname: Big Sky Country

Admitted to the Union: November 8, 1889

Tracey Elizabeth, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Motto: Qui transtulit sustinet

English Translation: He who transplanted still sustains

1: Connecticut

2: Pennsylvania

3: Louisiana

4: South Dakota

Henry Mitchell, Godot13, Wikimedia Commons

A: Connecticut

Capital: Hartford

Nickname: The Constitution State

Admitted to the Union: January 9, 1788

Dennis, Adobe Stock

Motto: Regnat populus

English Translation: The people rule

1: Arkansas

2: Ohio

3: Idaho

4: New York

Henry Mitchell, Godot13, Wikimedia Commons

A: Arkansas

Capital: Little Rock

Nickname: The Natural State

Admitted to the Union: June 15, 1836

Photolitherland, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Motto: Salus populi suprema lex esto

English Translation: Let the welfare of the people be the supreme law

1: Missouri

2: South Dakota

3: Louisiana

4: Kentucky

Marie Watkins Oliver, Wikimedia Commons

A: Missouri

Capital: Jefferson City

Nickname: Show Me State

Admitted to the Union: August 10, 1821

Sarah Minor, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Wikimedia Commons

Motto: Under God the people rule

English Translation: n/a

1: South Dakota

2: Ohio

3: Florida

4: Pennsylvania

xrmap, Wikimedia Commons

A: South Dakota

Capital: Pierre

Nickname: The Mount Rushmore State

Admitted to the Union: November 2, 1889

WeaponizingArchitecture, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Motto: Union, justice, confidence

English Translation: n/a

1: Pennsylvania

2: Louisiana

3: Georgia

4: Ohio

User:...., Wikimedia Commons

A: Louisiana

Capital: Baton Rouge

Nickname: Pelican State

Admitted to the Union: April 30, 1812

Spatms, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Motto: With God, all things are possible

English Translation: n/a

1: Michigan

2: Mississippi

3: Tennessee

4: Ohio

Bob Hall, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

A: Ohio

Capital: Columbus

Nickname: The Buckeye State

Admitted to the Union: March 1, 1803

Paul Wasneski, Wikimedia Commons

Motto: Virtue, liberty, and independence

English Translation: n/a

1: New Jersey

2: Pennsylvania

3: Maryland

4: Massachusetts

Simtropolitan, Jean-Pierre Demailly , Wikimedia Commons

A: Pennsylvania

Capital: Harrisburg

Nickname: The Keystone State

Admitted to the Union: December 12, 1787

Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

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

English Translation: n/a

1: Iowa

2: Ohio

3: Nebraska

4: Maryland

Xrmap, Wikimedia Commons

A: Iowa

Capital: Des Moines

Nickname: Hawkeye State

Admitted to the Union: December 28, 1846

Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Motto: North to the Future

English Translation: n/a

1: Hawaii

2: Alaska

3: Washington

4: Maine

Ingo70, Shutterstock

A: Alaska

Capital: Juneau

Nickname: The Last Frontier

Admitted to the Union: January 3, 1959

Alan Wu, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Motto: Montani semper liberi

English Translation: Mountaineers are always free

1: West Virginia

2: North Dakota

3: South Carolina

4: Montana

Henry Mitchell, Godot13, Wikimedia Commons

A: West Virginia

Capital: Charleston

Nickname: Mountain State

Admitted to the Union: June 20, 1863

Carol M. Highsmith, Wikimedia Commons

Motto: Wisdom, Justice, Moderation

English Translation: n/a

1: Georgia

2: Mississippi

3: Idaho

4: Maine

Xrmap, Wikimedia Commons

A: Georgia

Capital: Atlanta

Nickname: Peach State

Admitted to the Union: January 2, 1788

Warren LeMay, Wikimedia Commons

Motto: Virtute et armis

English Translation: By valor and arms

1: Florida

2: Alabama

3: Mississippi

4: New Mexico

The Emirr, Wikimedia Commons

A: Mississippi

Capital: Jackson

Nickname: The Magnolia State

Admitted to the Union: December 10, 1817

You might also like:

Ranking The American States By Their Canadian Population

Only 1 In 3 Americans Can Pass The Multiple Choice Citizenship Test. Are You One Of Them?

Texas vs California: What Is The Best State In America?

chmeredith, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Sources: 1