SEALED AND DELIVERED by Blog Dog Dan

The American Bald Eagle is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America.  It was adopted as the official emblem of the United States of America in 1782.  The Bald Eagle was chosen because of its majestic beauty, great strength, long life, and because it was thought to be native to North America.  In the wild, an eagle will live 30-35 years (up to 50 years in captivity).  A full-grown Bald Eagle has a wingspan of up to 7 feet.  They fly up to 30 miles an hour and can dive at 100 miles an hour!  The Bald Eagle appears on most official seals of the U.S. government, including the Seal of the President of the United States, the Presidential Flag, and in many U.S. federal agency logos.

On July 4, 1776, the same day America's 13 colonies united to declare themselves an independent nation, the Continental Congress began to create their national emblem, the Great Seal of the United States.

Here comes the red tape: During the next six years of the Revolution (1776-1782), three different committees submitted ideas, but none were acceptable. In June 1782, Congress chose Charles Thomson for the task, and the Great Seal of the United States was officially adopted on June 20, 1782 (six years before the Constitution). Its design has remained unchanged since then.  I think he looks a little like Richard Gere!

Although few people have heard of Charles Thomson (1729-1824), he was one of America's most significant and influential Founding Fathers.  He was the only Secretary of the Continental Congress for its entire 15 years.  Before the Constitution took effect in 1789, the Continental Congress was both the Executive and the Legislature. There was no President of the United States, only a President of Congress (elected by Congress).  The only two names on the copy of the Declaration printed the night of July 4 are Thomson's and Hancock's!

For the front of the Great Seal, Thomson made the American bald eagle the centerpiece and covered its breast with a shield of 13 red and white stripes.  In the eagle’s beak, he placed a scroll with the motto: E Pluribus Unum (Out of Many, One), which signified one nation created from 13 colonies.  In the eagle's right talon is an olive branch, in its left is a bundle of arrows - symbols for the power of peace and war.  The cloud above the eagle with the 13 stars symbolized "a new state is taking its place among other nations."

On the reverse side, he used a 13-step pyramid with the year 1776 in Roman numerals, the date of the Declaration of Independence.  The pyramid signified “strength and duration."  The eye over it and the motto Annuit Coeptis was translated as “Providence has favored our undertakings.”  The words in the scroll, Novus Ordo Seclorum (New Order of the Ages) refers to 1776 as the beginning of the new American Era.

The Secretary of State is the official keeper of the seal, and it is only used for documents such as foreign treaties, presidential proclamation, and commissions for cabinet officers and other high executive officials. 

Take a look at the back of your one-dollar bill.  Now you know what the symbols mean!  You can probably bet someone a dollar that they can't!

Let's watch and listen to The Steve Miller Band sing Fly Like an Eagle, which has some great eagle photography.

Let's end with This is America video, with wonderful clips of our wonderful country and its majestic symbol:

A powerful combination to ensure success is having the vision of an eagle and the heart of a lion.~ Robert G. Allen