The Latin phrase on the scroll held by the eagle on the Great Seal of the United States is “E pluribus unum.”
The phrase means “Out of many, one.” It appears in the eagle’s beak on the obverse of the Great Seal and expresses the idea of unity formed from the original states and their people.
The final seal design was largely assembled by Charles Thomson, secretary of the Continental Congress, with work by William Barton. Congress approved the design on June 20, 1782, and the seal was first used later that year to authenticate an official document.
The Great Seal contains two other Latin phrases. “Annuit cœptis” appears above the unfinished pyramid, while “Novus ordo seclorum” appears below it. The Roman numerals for 1776 also appear at the pyramid’s base, connecting the seal to the Declaration of Independence and the country’s founding year.