ALASKA

The official state flag of Alaska was officially adopted in 1959. It has a blue field with eight yellow stars. The seven smaller stars represent the Big Dipper (an asterism in the constellation Ursa Major, the Big Bear); the large star represents the North Star, also called Polaris (representing Alaska's northern location). This beautiful flag was chosen from a flag-designing contest. It was designed in 1926 by a 13-year-old Native American boy named Bennie Benson. Bennie was from the village of Chignik; he won a 1,000-dollar scholarship and a watch for winning the contest.

Alaska was the 49th state in the USA; it was admitted in 1959.