Year Adopted: 1908, revised 1971.

The Flag of the Commonwealth is white, bearing on both sides a representation of the coat of arms like the state seal (except that the five-pointed star is white instead of silver). It was approved for the Commonwealth in its final form on July 3, 1971; before that, the obverse side depicted a green pine tree.

A white flag with a gold color Indian and a five pointed silver star on a blue shield. Above the shield is the state motto, "Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem" ("By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty") appears in gold on a blue ribbon beneath the blue shield. The blue and gold state military crest appears above the blue shield. The crest is a wreath of blue and gold, on which in gold is a right arm, bent at the elbow, clothed and ruffled, with the hand grasping a broadsword and is prescribed in the Army Institute of Heraldry. (ref; sec.state.ma.us, State Symbols)

Massachusetts was one of the original 13 colonies, ratifying the Constitution in 1788 to become the fifth U.S. State. Massachusetts had an official naval ensign during the Revolutionary War in 1776, a white pine tree flag. See, "An Appeal To Heaven". A green pine tree flag continues as an official state naval flag, minus the Appeal to Heaven motto. Massachusetts and Maine are the only states with official naval ensigns.