Seal of New Mexico facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Great Seal of the State of New Mexico
Armiger	State of New Mexico
Adopted	1913
Motto	Crescit Eundo (It grows as it goes)

The Great Seal of the State of New Mexico is the official symbol of the U.S. state of New Mexico. It's like a special stamp or emblem used on important state documents. The seal shows what New Mexico is all about – its history, culture, and goals. It was first created in 1851 when New Mexico was a territory. Then, in 1913, one year after New Mexico became the 47th state, a new version of the seal was officially adopted. This seal is kept by the Secretary of State for all official papers.

What Does the New Mexico Seal Look Like?

When New Mexico became a state in 1912, its government needed an official state seal. A special group was formed to design it. This group included the Governor, Attorney General, Chief Justice, and Secretary of State. In June 1913, they decided to use a design very similar to the old territorial seal. They only changed the date to 1912.

The official law about the seal says it has two eagles. One is a Mexican eagle holding a snake in its beak and a cactus in its talons (claws). The other is a larger American eagle with its wings spread wide. This American eagle holds arrows in its talons. Below the eagles is the date 1912. On a scroll, you can read the motto: "Crescit Eundo". The words "Great Seal of the State of New Mexico" are written around the edge of the seal.

The Two Eagles on the Seal

The "American eagle" on the seal is a bald eagle. It is a well-known symbol of the United States. The "Mexican eagle" comes from the coat of arms of Mexico. This Mexican symbol is based on an old Aztec story about how their capital city, Tenochtitlan, was founded.

On the New Mexico seal, the Mexican eagle is smaller. It is protected by the larger American eagle, which has its wings spread out. This design shows that New Mexico still values its Spanish, Mexican, and Native American traditions. It also symbolizes how New Mexico became part of the United States in 1846. The American eagle shows America's strong but careful protection of New Mexico's unique heritage and culture.

The Date on the Seal

The first seal for the New Mexico territory had the date 1850 in Roman numerals. This was to remember when New Mexico became a territory. But when New Mexico became a state, the designers thought 1912 was a better date to use. They also decided not to use Roman numerals, thinking it looked too fancy.

The words "Great Seal of the State of New Mexico" were already on the first state seal. When the 1913 seal was adopted, these words stayed the same. Only the word "Territory" was changed to "State."

What Does the Motto Mean?

New Mexico's official motto is Crescit eundo. This is Latin for "It grows as it goes." At first, this might sound a bit strange. But the idea comes from an old poem called De Rerum Natura by a poet named Lucretius. In the poem, it talks about a thunderbolt getting stronger as it moves across the sky. The people who chose the motto wanted it to mean dynamic progress and growth for the state.

The motto was first used in 1882. A territorial official named William G. Ritch added the Latin phrase to an earlier version of the territorial seal. In 1887, this version, including Crescit eundo, became the official territorial seal. When New Mexico became a state in 1912, the commission decided to keep this motto. So, "It grows as it goes" became the official state motto.

How the Seal Changed Over Time

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  The seal in escutcheon form

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  Design of the 1887 seal from Catholic Encyclopedia, 1913

New Mexico's first seal was designed soon after the territorial government started in 1851. This original seal has been lost. However, old pictures show it had an American eagle holding an olive branch and three arrows. Around the edge, it said "Great Seal of the Territory of New Mexico".

In the early 1860s, a new seal was created. It looked a lot like today's Great Seal. It showed the American bald eagle with its wings spread, protecting a smaller Mexican eagle. The words "Territory of New Mexico" were around the edge. The date 1850 was at the bottom in Roman numerals.

In 1882, Territorial Secretary W.G. Ritch added the phrase crescit eundo to this design. People liked this version so much that the territorial government made it the "official seal and coat of arms" in 1887.

It took about a year and a half for the commission to decide on the state seal New Mexico uses today. During this time, the state used the old territorial seal. They just changed the words to "Great Seal of the State of New Mexico."

See also

In Spanish: Gran sello del estado de Nuevo México para niños