Great Seal of the United States, also called Seal of the United States, symbolizes the sovereignty of the United States. The government adopted it on June 20, 1782. It uses the seal to authenticate important documents. European countries had long used seals, and the new nation signified its equal rank by adopting its own seal. William Barton, a specialist in heraldry, advised the committee that designed the seal. He designed most of the seal’s reverse side. Charles Thomson, secretary of the Congress, prepared the design used on the face.
The face
bears the design used on official documents. The American eagle, with an escutcheon, or shield, on its breast, symbolizes self-reliance. Its pose is rather stiff because it is displayed in heraldic style. The shield’s 13 vertical stripes came from the flag of 1777, but seven are white, while in the 1777 flag seven are red.
The blue chief above the stripes in 1782 symbolized Congress. But since 1789, it has meant all branches of the United States government. The eagle holds an olive branch of 13 leaves and 13 olives in its right talon, and 13 arrows in its left. It prefers to live in peace, but can wage war. In its beak is a scroll inscribed E pluribus unum, or One (nation) out of many (states). Above its head is the 13-star “new constellation” of the 1777 flag, enclosed in a glory, or golden radiance, breaking through a cloud. See E pluribus unum .
The reverse side
of the seal may be seen on the back of the one-dollar bill, but it has never been used as a seal. A pyramid of 13 courses of stone, representing the Union, is watched over by the Eye of Providence enclosed in its traditional triangle. The upper motto, Annuit coeptis, means He (God) has favored our undertakings. The lower motto, Novus ordo seclorum, means the new order of the ages that began in 1776, the date on the base of the pyramid.
Since 1782, seven dies of the Great Seal have been engraved. The present seal is based on the design of the fourth die, which was cut in 1885. The present die was cut from a master die made by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing in 1986. Future dies will also be cut from this master die. The present die is on display in the Department of State Building in Washington, D.C.
