Great Seal of the United States, official seal of the United States government. It is two-sided, having both an obverse and a reverse. Only the obverse has been cut as a die, but the design of the reverse has been copied and appears, for example, on the U.S. one-dollar bill. The dominant figure on the obverse of the seal is an American eagle, shown with wings spread. Slightly modified, it is the seal of the President of the United States. The Bald Eagle was selected as a symbol for victory for two reasons first, he is not afraid of a storm; he is strong and he is smart enough to soar above it. Secondly, he wears no material crown. We had just broken from the King of England. Also, notice the shield is unsupported. This country can now stand on its own. On its breast the eagle bears a shield having 13 narrow vertical stripes, 7 white alternating with 6 red, which are surmounted by a broad horizontal stripe of blue. At the top of that shield you have a blue bar signifying congress, a unifying factor. We were coming together as one nation. In the Eagle's beak you will read, "E PLURIBUS UNUM", meaning "one nation from many people." Above the Eagle you have thirteen stars representing the thirteen original colonies, and any clouds of misunderstanding rolling away. Again, we were coming together as one. Notice what the Eagle holds in his talons. He holds an olive branch and arrows. This country wants peace, but we will never be afraid to fight to preserve peace. The Eagle always wants to face the olive branch, but in time of war, his gaze turns toward the arrows.

A pyramid, truncated near the top, is the central figure of the reverse side. At the base of the pyramid is the Roman Numeral for 1776. Notice the face is lighted and the western side is dark. This country was just beginning. We had not begun to explore the West or decided what we could do for Western Civilization. The Pyramid is uncapped, again signifying that we were not even close to being finished. Inside the capstone you have the all-seeing eye, and ancient symbol for divinity. It was Franklin´s belief that one man couldn't do it alone, but a group of men, with the help of God could do anything. "IN GOD WE TRUST" is on this currency. The Latin above the pyramid, ANNUIT COEPTIS, means "God has favored our undertaking." The Latin below the pyramid, NOVUS ORDO SECLORUM, means "a new order has begun." They say that the number 13 is an unlucky number. This is almost a worldwide belief. You will usually never see a room numbered 13, or hotels or motels with a 13th floor. But think about this: 13 original colonies, 3 signers of the Declaration of Independence, 13 stripes on our flag, 13 steps on the Pyramid, 13 letters in the Latin above, 13 letters in "E Pluribus Unum", 13 stars above the Eagle, 13 plumes of feathers on each span of the Eagle's wing, 13 bars on that shield, 13 leaves on the olive branch, 13 fruits, and if you look closely, 13 arrows.

The designing of a seal of the U.S. was first commissioned by the Continental Congress immediately after the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. A committee consisting of Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson submitted a design that was deemed unacceptable, as were designs submitted by two succeeding committees. In 1782 these designs were turned over to Charles Thomson, secretary to the congress, who prepared a design which, with some alterations, was adopted by the congress on June 20, 1782. The Great Seal of Nebraska In 1789 the custody of the seal was entrusted to the secretary of state, in accordance with a law that further provided that the impression of the obverse of the seal should be affixed to all civil commissions given to officers of the U.S. appointed by the president. Use of the impression was later expanded, and it now appears on a wide variety of documents, including presidential proclamations, instruments of ratification of treaties, and the commissions of cabinet officers, ambassadors, and other foreign service officers. The U.S. presidential seal is similar to the Great Seal, but differs from it in the border inscription "The Seal of the President of the United States." Each U.S. state has a seal of its own.