Kansas Motto
To the Stars Through Difficulty
The official state motto of Kansas is the Latin phrase; Ad Astra Per Aspera which means “To the Stars Through Difficulty.” The Office of the Governor of Kansas says that “this motto refers not only to the pioneering spirit of the early settlers but also the difficult times Kansas went through before becoming a state.
The anti-slavery forces and slavery proponents waged battles in the electoral process as well as on the battlefield. Kansas earned the nickname “Bloody Kansas” because of the war regarding slavery, much of which was fought on Kansas’ soil.” The state motto also appears on the Kansas flag and state seal.