Seal of Louisiana Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Great Seal of the State of Louisiana

Versions
Older state symbol (1876)

Armiger	State of Louisiana
Adopted	2006
Motto	Union, Justice, Confidence
Earlier version(s)	1812, 1902

The Seal of Louisiana (which is Sceau de la Louisiane in French) is the official symbol for the U.S. state of Louisiana. It's like the state's special badge! The first version of the seal was made in 1812, and the newest one was officially adopted in 2006.

History of the Louisiana Seal
Historical Symbols of Louisiana
Other Louisiana Government Seals
See also

History of the Louisiana Seal

How the Seal Started

After the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, the area that is now Louisiana became the Territory of Orleans. President Thomas Jefferson chose William C. C. Claiborne to be its first governor. He was asked to create an official symbol, or seal, for the government.

Governor Claiborne designed a seal with an eagle. This eagle held a laurel wreath and fifteen stars. The stars showed how many states were part of the United States at that time.

The Pelican Symbol

When Louisiana became a state in 1812, the seal changed. Instead of an eagle, it showed a pelican on its nest. This pelican was plucking its own chest to feed its young with its blood. This special symbol is called the "pelican in her piety".

We don't know exactly why the seal changed from an eagle to a pelican. Some people think it was to honor Louisiana's Catholic history. Governor Claiborne had married into a Catholic family in Louisiana. He also helped Catholic people become more involved in politics. This was important because, at that time, many parts of the U.S. were not friendly towards Catholics.

Motto Changes Over Time

Before the American Civil War, the "pelican in her piety" was used. It was surrounded by the words "Justice, Union and Confidence". These words were the state's motto.

After the Civil War, the motto changed slightly. "Union" became the most important idea. So, the motto became "Union, Justice, Confidence".

The Great Seal Today

The Great Seal of the State of Louisiana was officially adopted in 1902. It shows a brown pelican, which is Louisiana's official state bird. The pelican is feeding its young from its own blood. This symbol shows Christian charity and caring. You can also see this pelican on the Louisiana state flag.

The state motto "Union, Justice, Confidence" goes around the birds on the seal. An outer ring on the seal says "State of Louisiana". This helps everyone know what the seal represents.

The Three Drops of Blood

For a long time, Louisiana flags and the state seal showed the pelican with three drops of blood on its chest. This was a tradition from the 1800s. However, over the years, this detail was sometimes forgotten.

An eighth-grade student at Vandebilt Catholic High School noticed this. He told his state lawmaker about it. Because of him, the Louisiana State Legislature passed a new law in 2006. This law says that the pelican on both the state flag and the seal must have three drops of blood.