…walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Ephesians 4:1-3
The Great Seal of the United States, our national symbol, appears on proclamations, warrants, treaties, and other official US documents. It has two sides: obverse and reverse. The image above depicts the obverse side, but you can see both sides in other places, such as on the one-dollar bill.
The Great Seal is sometimes called “America’s Vision Statement” because the art symbolizes American ideals.
The American eagle represents liberty, self-government, and independence.
The banner with the Latin phrase E Pluribus Unum means “Out of Many, One” because we are a nation that values individuality and unity. These qualities are separate but coexist in harmony in a Christian nation.
The olive branch and the arrows held in the eagle’s talons denote the power of peace and war. The eagle always gazes toward the olive branch, signifying that our nation desires to pursue peace but is ready to defend itself.
The shield with 13 stripes, the 13 arrows in a bundle, and the constellation of 13 stars above the eagle’s head represent the first 13 colonies. The shield is a warrior’s primary defensive equipment and represents American virtue. The bundle of arrows reminds us of the strength of unity; the bundle cannot be easily broken. The constellation denotes a new nation-state taking its place among the rank and power of other sovereign nations.
Teach the Children
- The Great Seal of the United States symbolizes our American ideal of liberty.
- America surprised the world by choosing a Christian form of government that asserted the value of the individual—the principle source of liberty.
- American unity is Christian unity—the recognition of individual rights and voluntary association. We are individuals united for civil and spiritual purposes.
“The blessings of liberty in America cannot be perpetuated unless the principles of that liberty are re-identified and re-affirmed in each generation.”
Verna M. Hall