Flag History: The design on Michigan's deep blue field has three mottoes: On a red ribbon - "One Nation Made Up of Many States" On a blue shield - "I will Defend" On a white ribbon - "If You Seek a Pleasant Peninsula, Look Around" On the blue shield the sun rises over a lake and peninsula, a man with raised hand and holding a gun represents peace and the ability to defend his rights. The elk and moose are symbols of Michigan,
while the eagle represents the United States.