North and South Dakota were a single territory until 1889. and were named for the Dakota, Sioux tribe which inhabited the region. Dakota is Sioux for "friends" or "allies."

North Dakota's flag is a dark blue field with a bald eagle holding an olive branch in one claw and a bundle of arrows in the other. The eagle carries a ribbon in its beak with the words " One nation made up of many states" across it. The traditional "star spangled" shield is on its breast. The fan shaped design above the eagle represents the birth of a new nation, the United States of America. The name "North Dakota" appears in gold letters on a red scroll beneath the eagle.