The State of Kentucky KY tried to remain neutral during  the Civil War, but when Confederate troops invaded Kentucky in 1861, several battles were fought.  Kentucky placed its seal in the center of its flag, originally depicting a statesman and a frontiersman embracing.  Now the two men, shaking hands, stand for all people, showing that they work together for the good of all.  They are acting out the meaning of the Kentucky state motto that surround them:  "United We Stand; Divided We Fall." Kentucky State Flag Adopted:  1962