Adopted in 1927, the Kansas state flag is a dark-blue rectangle including the state seal and a sunflower. The seal, located in the center of the flag, tells the story of Kansas with its motto, “Ad Astra per Aspera,†meaning “To the Stars through Difficulties.†The thirty-four stars above the motto signify Kansas as the 34th state to be accepted into the Union. The word “Kansas†was added to the bottom of the flag in 1961.