Welcome to GreatSeal.com
Here students of America can learn the true story of the emblem
created by the founders of the United States to symbolize their
revolutionary new nation to the world – and to the future.
(Website contents below.)
OVERVIEW
The only preliminary drawings of the final design for the Great Seal:
Artwork by William Barton (May 1782) and Charles Thomson (June 1782)
After these were drawn, some revisions were made:
• A triangle was placed around the eye of providence.
• A date was inscribed on the base of the pyramid.
• Two mottoes were chosen for the pyramid side.
• The shield's stripes were changed to vertical.
But no new drawings were made.
And no artwork was submitted to Congress.
The official Great Seal of the United States adopted on June 20, 1782
is in the form of a written description only.
The first die of the Great Seal was created in Sept. 1782.
It had errors, as did subsequent dies. The U.S. government's most
accurate version of the Great Seal is the Centennial Medal of 1882:
Some of the finest examples of the eagle side are on the back of
the Indian Peace Medals given by President Washington in the 1790s.
Illustrations of a seal are called "realizations."
The first realizations and first color painting were done in 1786.
U.S. Department of State's current realizations:
The Great Seal's designers provided a brief explanation of its symbolism,
however, the more we know about its creation and the meaning
of its symbols and its mottoes, the better we can understand
why this emblem is as important today as ever before.
This includes separating fact from fiction. Unfortunately, most Americans know very little about the symbol that represents them and their nation, and what they do know is often incorrect. First of all, the Great Seal is not a monetary symbol. Neither is it a masonic symbol.
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REDISCOVER AMERICA
America's founders set out to create a symbol worthy of their new nation. See the ideas suggested by three committees. Individual Design Elements:
Issues Relevant Today:
Find out how seals are used. |
Original Artwork from GreatSeal.com
CLICK on a SEAL to SEE it on SHIRTS
in different colors, styles, and prices for men and women.
POSTERS available:
In its 11th year, GreatSeal.com is created and ©2009 by John D. MacArthur.
NOTICE: Historical and current government realizations of the Great Seal displayed on this website are not intended to convey an impression of sponsorship or approval by the Government of the United States.
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Content is based on the official history of the U.S. Seal.
