Which U.S. national emblem, adopted in 1782, shows a bald eagle holding an olive branch and 13 arrows?

The Great Seal of the United States, adopted in 1782, shows a bald eagle holding an olive branch and 13 arrows.

The Continental Congress approved the seal’s final design on June 20, 1782, after several committees had worked on proposals beginning in 1776. Charles Thomson, secretary of Congress, assembled the final design, while William Barton contributed important heraldic elements.

The eagle’s olive branch represents peace, while the arrows represent the nation’s readiness for war. The number 13 appears repeatedly for the original 13 states, including in the stars, stripes, arrows, and olive-branch details. The eagle also carries a scroll bearing “E pluribus unum,” Latin for “Out of many, one.”

The Great Seal is often confused with the Presidential Seal, but they are different emblems. The Great Seal authenticates certain federal documents and appears on items such as the reverse of the one-dollar bill. Its reverse includes an unfinished pyramid and the Eye of Providence.