What motto appears on the scroll held by the eagle on the Great Seal of the United States?

The motto on the scroll held by the eagle on the Great Seal of the United States is E pluribus unum. The Latin phrase means “Out of many, one” and was included when Congress approved the Great Seal’s design in 1782.

The motto expresses the idea that a single nation emerged from the union of multiple colonies and states. It appears on the seal’s obverse, where a bald eagle holds the scroll in its beak. The seal also includes thirteen arrows, an olive branch, thirteen stars, and other references to the original states.

E pluribus unum was long treated as the country’s de facto national motto. Congress adopted “In God We Trust” as the official national motto in 1956, but E pluribus unum remains a major national symbol and continues to appear on U.S. coins, official seals, and government documents.