Congress adopted the Great Seal of the United States on June 20, 1782, a symbol featured in America250 history.
The Continental Congress had appointed a committee to design a national seal shortly after independence was declared in 1776. The project passed through several committees and proposals before Secretary of Congress Charles Thomson assembled the final design with contributions from William Barton.
The seal’s obverse shows a bald eagle holding an olive branch and arrows. Its shield has thirteen stripes, and the eagle holds thirteen arrows, reflecting the original states. The design also includes the mottoes E pluribus unum and Annuit coeptis.
Adopting the design did not mean a physical seal was immediately available for every purpose. The Great Seal is used to authenticate certain federal documents, including treaties and other instruments issued by the national government.