You’ve seen it a thousand times. It’s right there on the back of every one-dollar bill, staring back at you with that weirdly intense eye floating over a pyramid. Most people look at the Great Seal of the United States and immediately jump to conspiracies about the Illuminati or secret societies. It’s a fun rabbit hole, honestly. But the actual history of how this thing was made is way more chaotic and human than a secret plot. It took six years. Three separate committees. Dozens of people arguing over sketches. It was basically a design project from hell that happened while a literal revolution was going on in the background.
When the Continental Congress declared independence on July 4, 1776, they didn't just want a new government; they wanted a "signature." They needed a way to prove that their new treaties and laws were the real deal. So, they tasked Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams with coming up with a seal. You’d think these three geniuses would nail it immediately. They didn't. In fact, their first attempt was kind of a mess.
Franklin wanted a scene from Exodus showing Moses parting the Red Sea. Jefferson wanted a picture of the Children of Israel in the wilderness. Adams went for an engraving of "The Judgment of Hercules." It was all very heavy, very biblical, and very complicated. Congress hated it. They tabled the whole thing for years. It wasn’t until 1782 that Charles Thomson, the Secretary of the Continental Congress, finally smashed together the best ideas from three different committees to create the version we recognize today.
The Bald Eagle and Why It’s Holding a Forest
The front side of the Great Seal of the United States—the obverse—is dominated by the American Bald Eagle. It’s the part you see on passports and at the podium when the President speaks. But notice what the eagle is holding. In its right talon, it grips an olive branch. In its left, a bundle of 13 arrows.
This isn't just random clip art. The eagle is intentionally facing toward the olive branch. That’s a massive piece of symbolism right there. It means the United States prefers peace but is always ready for war. If the eagle were looking toward the arrows, the message would be much more aggressive. During World War II, some versions of the seal actually showed the eagle looking at the arrows, but Harry Truman eventually issued an executive order to make sure the eagle always faced the "peace" side. He wanted to signal that the country was focused on rebuilding, not just fighting.
The eagle also has a shield on its chest, which looks like the American flag but actually isn't. If you look closely, there are no stars on the blue bar at the top. The thirteen vertical stripes represent the states, supporting the "chief" (the blue bar), which represents Congress. The idea was that the states and the federal government work together. It’s all about unity. E Pluribus Unum. Out of many, one. It’s a simple phrase, but back then, it was a radical experiment. No one knew if thirteen separate colonies could actually stay glued together.
👉 See also: Sport watch water resist explained: why 50 meters doesn't mean you can dive
That Weird Eye and the Unfinished Pyramid
Flip the seal over—the reverse side—and things get "National Treasure" pretty fast. This is the side that fuels the most myths. You’ve got a pyramid that isn't finished. Why? Because the United States was, and still is, a work in progress. It was meant to be a country that grows and builds over time.
At the bottom of the pyramid, you’ll see the Roman numerals MDCCLXXVI. That’s 1776. Above the pyramid is the "Eye of Providence" inside a triangle surrounded by a "glory" (a burst of light). People love to claim this is a Masonic symbol. While many Founding Fathers were Masons, the Eye of Providence was actually a very common Christian symbol for God’s watchfulness during the 18th century. The designers, specifically Pierre Du Simitière, added it to suggest that "Providence" (God or fate) was favoring the American cause.
The Latin phrases around the pyramid are also key. Annuit Coeptis means "He has favored our undertakings." Novus Ordo Seclorum translates to "A New Order of the Ages." This wasn't a call for a global New World Order in the modern, scary sense. It was the Founders bragging. They truly believed they were starting a brand-new era of human history where people governed themselves instead of being ruled by kings. It was a massive flex.
Why the Colors Actually Matter
We usually see the Great Seal of the United States in gold or black and white, but the official description (the blazon) specifies the colors very strictly. Charles Thomson was very specific about what the colors meant when he presented the final design to Congress:
- White stands for purity and innocence.
- Red stands for hardiness and valor.
- Blue represents vigilance, perseverance, and justice.
It’s interesting that the colors were given meanings before the flag’s colors were officially defined. In many ways, the seal gave the American flag its soul. The seal isn't just a logo; it's a legal instrument. Even today, the actual physical "Great Seal" is a heavy brass die used to emboss official documents. It’s kept in a locked glass mahogany case at the State Department. It’s only used about 2,000 to 3,000 times a year for things like commissions of cabinet officers and ambassadors, or for ratifying treaties. You can't just go and stamp your notebook with it. It’s a controlled, high-security object.
✨ Don't miss: Pink White Nail Studio Secrets and Why Your Manicure Isn't Lasting
Misconceptions That Just Won't Die
One of the funniest myths is that Benjamin Franklin wanted the national bird to be a turkey instead of the eagle. This is... half-true. Franklin never officially proposed the turkey for the Great Seal of the United States. He did, however, write a letter to his daughter complaining about the eagle's "bad moral character," calling it a "rank coward" and a thief that steals fish from other birds. He thought the turkey was a much more "respectable" and "courageous" bird. But he kept that opinion to private letters; he didn't try to force it onto the official seal.
Another big one: the "Illuminati" pyramid. The Illuminati was a real group in Bavaria, but they were mostly defunct by the time the seal was finalized. Furthermore, they didn't use the pyramid and eye as their primary symbol. The connection was basically invented by 20th-century pop culture and fiction writers. The designers of the seal were obsessed with classical Rome and Greece, not secret German societies. They wanted the U.S. to look like a "New Rome," which is why there's so much Latin and stone imagery.
How the Seal Impacted Modern Design
The symmetry of the Great Seal of the United States influenced almost every other government seal that followed. Look at the seal of the President, the Senate, or even individual states. They all follow the same basic "circular heraldry" format. It established a visual language for authority in the Western Hemisphere.
Interestingly, the reverse side (the pyramid) was almost forgotten for 150 years. It wasn't until 1935 that it was put on the dollar bill. Secretary of Agriculture (and later VP) Henry Wallace, who was into mysticism and history, suggested it to FDR. Roosevelt, also a Mason, loved the idea. That’s why you see it every time you pay for a coffee today. Before 1935, most Americans had no idea the pyramid even existed as part of the official seal.
Actionable Ways to Verify the Real History
If you want to dig deeper into the Great Seal of the United States without getting lost in the "tinfoil hat" side of the internet, here is how you do it.
🔗 Read more: Hairstyles for women over 50 with round faces: What your stylist isn't telling you
Start by looking at the Department of State's official history of the seal. They publish a detailed booklet (often available as a PDF) that tracks every single sketch from 1776 to 1782. You can see the original, weird drawings that didn't make the cut.
Next, if you’re ever in Washington D.C., visit the National Museum of American History or the State Department's Exhibit Hall. Seeing the physical size of the die—it’s about four inches in diameter—changes your perspective. It’s not just a digital image; it’s a heavy, physical tool of statecraft.
Finally, check out the writings of Charles Thomson. He was the guy who actually pulled the final design together. His notes explain exactly why he chose the eagle over other animals and what he intended with the Latin phrases. Understanding the intent of the creator is the best way to debunk the myths that have cropped up over the last two centuries.
The seal isn't a secret code. It’s a time capsule. It captures the exact moment when a group of nervous, ambitious, and slightly disorganized revolutionaries tried to figure out what they stood for. They landed on a mix of strength, peace, and the hope that their "unfinished pyramid" would actually stand the test of time. So far, it has.