There is is, Seal of the state of North Carolina.
Though I disagree with many of the decisions our founding fathers made, I try to understand where they were coming from. England mainly. Eighteenth century. Being colonial. Being people who used chamber pots or outhouses. Being people who had baths only once a year if that. Being people who had a zillion children, but only a few lived to adulthood. Being people who never saw a doctor throughout their lives. Being people who might live to 50 if they were fortunate.
I'm sharing this post with Sepia Saturday, just for the fun of it. I'm not exactly on the theme, but look at the women standing there...don't they remind you of someone?
OK, now to understand this Seal business. Keep scrolling down.
This seal commemorates meetings by important NC men (no women of course, remember 1775 and what women spent their time doing!) But wait, one of those dates is "thought to be the date of the Mecklenberg Declaration of Independence." Why don't they know, if they have it on the seal, and the flag?
I wonder if there's a secret about that date that only the "in" people know.
Oh well. I just grin when I see "to be rather than to seem" as the state motto. The republicans in our legislature are sure following that...being just whatever the heck they want to be. If you haven't seen anything on the news about Moral Mondays, here's a bit of info to get you started. water-element, remembering-why, demonstrations-with-aging-hippies, and forgiveness.
If you live in another state in the US, what does your state seal represent? I grew up in Texas and Missouri, and learned a little about what those states' histories were like.
The main thing in my mind today is, how does our current government represent those values?
That was a great take on the theme, with many good questions raised in my mind.
ReplyDeleteI think it's very difficult to try and imagine the state of society such a long time ago, and then to envisage why certain things were said, decisions were made, etc., particularly because there was so much that wasn't said in print in those times.
ReplyDeleteOne of the problems we still encounter is trying to put today's values on the past. The seal design is superb for the theme.
ReplyDeleteI looked at the seal and thought " Oh No...not another US state flag with a seal on a plain blue background" (dull States!). But when I checked I realised how wrong I was. I have many US state flags but I do not have, nor am I familiar with, the North Carolina flag. Maybe I will add this to my collection soon especially as it has dates on it, I like to fly a different flag of relevance each day. Do not do down women and US flags. Remember Betsy Ross made the first stars and stripes !
ReplyDeleteI had to go read up on the seal of Virginia. Yeah, we have a woman warrior with left breast exposed. She is standing with her foot on Tyranny and her hand holding a sword, together symbolizing authority and freedom from the monarchy of Great Britain. The motto is "Sic semper tyrannis," or Thus always to tyrants.
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