Massachusetts military bases include, Camp Curtis Guild, Fort Edwards, Fort Devens, Natick Army Soldier System Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, Westover Joint Air Reserve Base, Coast Guard Stations in Massachusetts. Massachusetts is a state with over 6.9 million people with about 327,990 being veterans. The state is bordered by Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York.
The first national flag associated with what is now the American state of Massachusetts was that of England and Great Britain during the 17th and 18th centuries. In 1776, Massachusetts declared independence from Great Britain, along with 12 other British colonies, becoming one of the original states of the United States of America. At that time, the American flag had 13 stars for each existing state versus the 50 that appear on the national flag today. Massachusetts is officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. In 1776, during the American Revolution, the Massachusetts state navy adopted a flag of white with a green pine tree in its center, along with the motto “An Appeal to Heaven.” The motto was later removed from the flag and it was designated the naval and maritime flag of the commonwealth. Massachusetts is only one of two states with its own naval ensign, the other being Maine. It was not until 1908 that the state had an actual state flag, which was white with a shield of blue in the center, emblazoned with a green pine tree.
The pine tree had long been a symbol of New England, dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries. Just prior to the American Revolution, it had become a symbol of colonial resistance. The current state flag of Massachusetts was adopted in 1971. It features a field of white with the state coat of arms in the center. The blue shield contains an Algonquin Native American with a bow and arrow. The arrow is pointed downward, signifying peace. The white star is symbolic of Massachusetts statehood. The blue ribbon surrounding the shield bears the Latin state motto, which translates to “By the Sword We Seek Peace, But Peace Only Under Liberty.” The arm above the shield holds a raised sword, a reminder that it was through the American Revolution that liberty was won.
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