“E pluribus unum” was the first U.S. national motto, adopted on the Great Seal in 1782 and still used for America250. The Latin phrase means “Out of many, one,” expressing unity among the states and people of the new republic.
A congressional committee proposed the Great Seal in 1776, but the final design was not approved until June 20, 1782. The phrase appears on a scroll held in the eagle’s beak, while thirteen arrows, thirteen stars, and the shield also emphasize the original states.
“In God We Trust” became an official national motto much later, through a 1956 law, so it is not the motto first selected for the seal. “Novus ordo seclorum,” on the reverse, means “new order of the ages” and is a separate Latin inscription. These distinctions often matter in anniversary discussions about America’s symbols and founding ideals.