Promoting Great Seal Awareness in Communities
In 2007, the United States Diplomacy Center created a wonderful
Exhibition Celebrating the 225th Anniversary of the Great Seal
that included ten panels that can be reproduced for classroom use.
Panels 4 and 5 of the Diplomacy Center exhibit
A trifold brochure of the exhibit is also available.
To supplement the exhibit, John MacArthur worked with
GSAP coordinator Ron Cole created two more panels:
Imagining the Possibilities | Rising to the Challenge
In 2003, the U.S. State Department produced an excellent
18-page pamphlet on the history the Great Seal.
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The best reference book is The Eagle and the Shield: A History of the Great Seal of the United States. Its chapters about the three preliminary designs offer a wealth of information that will suggest some fascinating areas for classrooms to explore. This extremely well-documented book by Richard S. Patterson and Richardson Dougall was released in 1978 by the Office of the Historian, Bureau of Public Affairs, Department of State, under the auspices of the American Revolution Bicentennial Administration. (681 pages, 92 illustrations) Now freely available in several file formats:
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This excellent 15-minute video was created for the
1982 bicentennial of America's symbolic masterpiece.
What's So Great About the Great Seal?A cornerstone in the foundation of the United States, our Great Seal is a national treasure in the same league with our Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights. Designed by some of America's most visionary Founders during the revolutionary birth of our nation, the Great Seal is the carefully crafted message they created to convey their vision to the world, and to the future. Its two sides embody the essential guiding principles these farsighted patriots knew the United States must always follow. So important was the Great Seal that on Day One, July 4, 1776, Congress appointed Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson to begin the design process that would later involve two other committees. Considerable attention went into creating the Great Seal. Unfortunately, most historians and educators have overlooked this extraordinary symbol. Consequently, myth and misinformation are commonplace, and the eloquent symbolism of the Great Seal is not been fully appreciated. It is time to rediscover our nation's forgotten treasure, the Great Seal of the United States, by educating Americans about the fascinating story of this emblem that represents them. As a graphic link to the vision of our nation's Founders, the Great Seal reconnects us with the revolutionary spirit of the people who gave us our freedom. Their struggle for independence is reflected in the preliminary designs that evolved into the two sides of the symbol that Congress approved on June 20, 1782. This is not just about the past, however. By knowing what the Great Seal's symbols and mottoes meant to the Founders, students will be able to decipher this remarkable message from their ancestors and discover its relevance today. When the full story of the Great Seal is known, it becomes a compelling incentive to participate in America's future. |
The Great Seal Awareness Project is not affiliated with,
nor are these statements intended to represent the views or
policies of the United States Diplomacy Center or Department of State.