Great Seal of the United States

Great Seal of the United States
source
Name	Great Seal
Image2 caption	Reverse of the Great Seal
Year adopted	1782
Jurisdiction	United States
Motto	E pluribus unum, Annuit cœptis, Novus ordo seclorum

Great Seal of the United States. The official emblem of the United States federal government, formally adopted by the Continental Congress in 1782. Its obverse features the national coat of arms, used to authenticate documents like treaties and presidential proclamations. The seal's intricate design, rich with classical and heraldic symbolism, reflects the Founding Fathers' aspirations for the new republic.

History and development

The creation of a national seal was mandated by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, the same day it adopted the Declaration of Independence. Initial design committees included prominent figures like Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson, who proposed themes of biblical exodus and divine providence. After two failed committees and six years of deliberation, the task fell to Charles Thomson, Secretary of Congress, and William Barton, a heraldry enthusiast. Their collaborative design, incorporating elements from all prior proposals, was finally approved on June 20, 1782. The first brass die was cut later that year and first used in September 1782 to authenticate a Washington-signed document. The current die, cut in 1903, is safeguarded by the Department of State under the care of its Secretary.

Design and symbolism

The obverse centers on a heraldic bald eagle, the national bird, holding a bundle of thirteen arrows in one talon and an olive branch in the other, symbolizing a readiness for war but a preference for peace. The eagle's head faces the olive branch. On its breast is a shield with thirteen stripes, supported solely by the eagle, denoting self-reliance. In its beak, the eagle clutches a scroll inscribed with the motto E pluribus unum, a phrase from Virgil's Moretum. Above the eagle's head is a "glory" of thirteen stars surrounded by clouds, forming a constellation. The reverse side, never cut as a die, features a 13-step pyramid topped with the Eye of Providence and the Latin mottos Annuit cœptis and Novus ordo seclorum, suggesting the new nation's favor under divine watch and its establishment of a new order.

Usage and protocol

The seal is used exclusively by the Department of State to authenticate official government documents. These include instruments of ratification for international treaties, presidential proclamations, and full powers for ambassadors. The actual metal die is pressed into a wafer of paper or wax affixed to the document. Publicly, the obverse design is widely utilized; it appears on the reverse of the one-dollar bill, official passports, flags flown by federal agencies, and plaques in embassies. By law, commercial use of the seal's design is prohibited to prevent the appearance of government endorsement. The Archivist of the United States provides official renderings for authorized use.

Reverse of the seal

Although an integral part of the 1782 resolution, the reverse has never been cut into a die and is rarely used in official contexts. Its most prominent public display is on the back of the one-dollar bill, placed to the left of the obverse since 1935 under the direction of President Franklin Roosevelt and Secretary of Agriculture Henry Wallace. The unfinished pyramid with thirteen courses represents strength and duration, while the Roman numeral MDCCLXXVI at its base references the year of the Declaration of Independence. The mottos Annuit cœptis and Novus ordo seclorum, suggested by Charles Thomson, translate to "He [God] has favored our undertakings" and "A new order of the ages," respectively.

Influence and legacy

The imagery of the Great Seal has profoundly influenced American iconography and global perception. The central eagle motif is echoed in the seals of numerous federal bodies, including the President, the Senate, and the Department of Defense. Its mottos, particularly E pluribus unum, have become de facto national mottoes, appearing on coinage and within the U.S. Capitol. The seal's Masonic-like symbols, such as the pyramid and eye, have fueled speculation and conspiracy theories for centuries, discussed in works like Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code. As a foundational emblem, it remains a powerful symbol of federal authority and national identity.

Category:National symbols of the United States Category:Seals of the United States Category:1782 establishments in the United States