Who was the principal designer of the Great Seal of the United States adopted in 1782?

Charles Thomson was the principal designer of the Great Seal of the United States adopted in 1782.

Thomson served as secretary of the Continental Congress and assembled the final design after several committees had proposed unsuccessful versions. He selected the eagle for the obverse, incorporated a shield, and explained the symbolism of the olive branch, arrows, constellation, and mottoes.

The Great Seal was approved by Congress on June 20, 1782, after years of work. The reverse features an unfinished pyramid and the Latin phrases Annuit coeptis and Novus ordo seclorum. The eagle's olive branch and arrows represent a preference for peace while retaining the ability to defend the country.

Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams each served on earlier seal committees, which is why they are sometimes mistakenly credited as the final designer. The seal's design was a collaborative process, but Thomson prepared the proposal that Congress accepted.