Great Seal of the United States facts for kids

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The Great Seal of United States is the official coat of arms of United States, and it is placed in official documents from United States Government. The name is used both for the coat of arms, and the material seal itself, which is made by the United States' executive power. The great seal was used for the first time in the year of 1782.

The seal's design is used in national documents, such as passports, by the United States military, and flags. As a coat of arms, it has the national colors of the United States, but the material seal itself only has a basic black and white design (like when used on paper).

Since 1935, the two faces of Great Seal appear in the note of one dollar.

Images for kids

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  The arms as held by Columbia in the war scene of the United States Capitol's 1865 Apotheosis of Washington

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  Supper at Emmaus, a 1525 Jacopo Pontormo painting, contains the Eye of Providence in a triangle.

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  1737 Gentleman's Magazine title page

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  Hopkinson's pyramid from 1778

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  Thomson's drawing, the basis for the final seal

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  First sealed document

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  The press and cabinet, made in 1903

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  Clydia Mae Richardson, who led the effort to put the seal on display, and John Foster Dulles imprint a document during the 1955 ceremony

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  A seal wafer

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  The wafer is positioned over the counterdie

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  The seal is pressed down on the wafer

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  The imprinted seal

See also

In Spanish: Gran sello de los Estados Unidos para niños