Symbols of the United States Senate facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Seal of the United States Senate |
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| Armiger | United States Senate |
| Adopted | 1886 |
| Crest | Liberty Cap |
| Blazon | Arms of the United States |
| Supporters | Olive and Oak branches |
| Motto | E pluribus unum |
| Other elements | Fasces |
| Earlier version(s) | 1798 and 1831 |
| Use | Sealing of Senate documents, and by the Senate Majority and Minority Leaders |
The Seal of the United States Senate is a special symbol. It is used to make official documents from the United States Senate truly authentic. This means the seal proves the documents are real and approved. The seal's design also acts as a sign of the Senate. You can see it on the official Senate flag and other places.
The current version of the seal was created in 1886. It is the third design the Senate has used since it started in 1789. There are strict rules about using the seal. Because of these rules, it is not seen very often in public. Instead, there are other unofficial designs that people see more commonly.
The seal shows a shield with 13 stars at the top. Below the stars are 13 vertical stripes. A scroll floats across the top of the shield. It has the Latin words E pluribus unum written on it. This phrase means "Out of many, one." An olive branch is on the left side of the shield. It stands for peace. An oak branch is on the right, symbolizing strength. Above the shield is a red liberty cap. This cap represents freedom. Below the shield are crossed fasces, which show authority. Blue rays of light shine out from the shield. The words "United States Senate" surround the whole design. Many parts of this seal come from the Great Seal of the United States.
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How the Senate Seal Is Used
The Senate seal is placed on very important papers. These include documents for impeachment trials. It is also used on agreements for international treaties. The seal appears on special copies of Senate decisions. These decisions might recognize new appointments or great achievements.
The seal also helps confirm that senators are officially elected. It is used for electoral votes for the President and Vice President. The Secretary of the Senate is in charge of the seal. They can also allow other specific uses. In recent times, the Secretary has let the majority and minority leaders use it officially.
It is against the law to use the Senate seal in a way that makes people think the U.S. Government approves of something when it doesn't.
Where You Can See the Senate Seal
The Senate seal is shown in a beautiful stained glass window. This window is in the United States Capitol building. There are four grand staircases in the Capitol. Each stairwell has a large stained glass window with a unique design. One of these windows, on the Senate side, used to show an eagle. This window was accidentally broken in the 1960s. It was first replaced with plain glass. Later, a colorful design of the Senate seal was put in its place. You can also see this window from the office on the other side (room S-210). An image of this window was used on the Senate's website for a few years.
The Senate did not have an official flag until the 1980s. Most other government groups had flags by then. In 1984, Senator Daniel Inouye suggested making an official Senate flag. He wanted it to use the design of the Senate seal. After looking at many designs, a committee asked the Army Institute of Heraldry for help. They suggested a navy blue flag with the seal in the middle. This design was approved in 1987. The flags became available in 1988. Each senator and committee could have only two flags. Like the seal, the flags can only be used in Senate offices. Selling them for money is not allowed. A Senate flag also hangs above the main meeting room in the Hart Building.
The Senate seal was also used on a special coin. It appeared on the back of the 1998 commemorative dollar coin. This coin honored Robert F. Kennedy. The seal was shown with the seal of the Department of Justice. These seals showed Kennedy's career in government. He was first the United States Attorney General and then a senator from New York.
In the 1960s, a painted version of the seal was on the ceiling of the Secretary of the Senate's office.
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From the 1966 History of the Senate Seals book.
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The back of the Robert F. Kennedy silver dollar coin.
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Stained glass window in the Capitol building.
History of the Senate Seal
The Senate has used three main seal designs over time. Each one tells a bit about the Senate's history.
The First Senate Seal: 1790s
When the Senate first met in Philadelphia in the 1790s, they liked the look of the Great Seal of the United States. They even had it copied onto a carpet for their meeting room. They chose a similar design for their first official Senate seal.
This first Senate seal showed an eagle. The eagle had a shield on its chest. It held olive branches in its left claw and arrows in its right. Above the eagle, rays of light came from clouds. This showed the new nation rising. The words "SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES" circled the design.
This design was clearly based on the Great Seal. However, it had some differences. The shield was shaped like a spade. The eagle did not have a scroll in its beak. The clouds and light rays also looked different. The words around the edge made it clear this seal was for the Senate. The Great Seal has no words around it. This design was actually similar to one made by James Trenchard in 1786.
We don't know exactly when this first seal was made or who made it. The first time we know it was used was in March 1798. It appeared on papers for the impeachment of Senator William Blount. Six years later, it was used again for the impeachment trial of Judge John Pickering.
The Second Senate Seal: 1831
By 1830, the first Senate seal was either too old to use or had been lost. So, a new seal was ordered. It was made by Robert G. Lanphier Jr., a French artist and jeweler. The tools to make the seal were created by Edward Stabler. He also made seals for many other government groups.
This second design was inspired by old Greek and Roman art. It showed three female figures. They stood for liberty (freedom), justice, and power. An eagle was above them. Twenty-four chain links bordered the seal. These links showed the 24 states that were part of the United States at that time.
The main figure was Liberty. She stood on a platform that said "4 JULY 1776." This is Independence Day. She held a pole with a Phrygian cap and a palm branch. The palm branch means victory. She also held a scroll that said "CONSTITUTION, MARCH 4, 1789." This is when the United States Constitution began. The Justice figure held the scales of justice. She leaned on fasces, a symbol of authority. The Power figure held a sword and a caduceus. The caduceus is a symbol of trade and peace.
This design was similar to a sculpture on the Capitol building. That sculpture, called Genius of America, also had three female figures. It was made by Luigi Persico. Both the seal and the sculpture shared ideas like a July 4 date, a Constitution scroll, scales of justice, and an eagle.
During the 1868 impeachment trial of President Andrew Johnson, the seal was used on many documents. This second seal was used until 1880. It was found "tucked away among some rubbish" after being used a lot in an 1876 impeachment trial. By then, the seal was very worn out. A drawing of the seal from 1885 showed that some details were no longer clear.
The Current Senate Seal: 1886
In 1876, the United States celebrated its 100th birthday. This made people more interested in national symbols. It led to a new design for the Great Seal in 1885. On March 31, 1885, the Senate decided to update its own seal. During these talks, many senators didn't even know a Senate seal existed!
The Senate looked at several designs. They chose one by Louis Dreka, an engraver from Philadelphia. He was paid $35 to make the seal and the press to use it. This design is the one still used today. The actual seal is kept in a special mahogany cabinet.
Before this, there were no official rules about who could use the seal or when. This was fixed at the same time. The rules stated that the Secretary of the Senate would keep the seal. They would use it to make copies of documents official when the Senate asked. They could also use it for other official papers in their office.
In the 1900s, the Secretary of the Senate allowed the majority and minority leaders to use the seal officially.
Unofficial Senate Seals
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An unofficial Senate seal.
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Another unofficial Senate seal.
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A version of the Great Seal used unofficially by the Senate.
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An unofficial seal for the U.S. Congress.
The official Senate seal is only for authenticating documents. It's not usually used as a general symbol. So, the Secretary of the Senate has approved other, unofficial Senate seals. One of these unofficial seals shows an eagle holding arrows and an olive branch. The words "United States Senate" surround it. This seal is often used by Senate offices. You can also see it on items sold in the Senate gift shop.
Even more common is a version of the Great Seal of the United States. This also shows an eagle with arrows and an olive branch. It is surrounded by similar words. These unofficial seals often appear on Senate websites and on podiums where senators speak. The House of Representatives also uses similar unofficial designs. Since the United States Congress as a whole does not have an official seal, similar designs are often used with "Congress" written on them.
Both the official Senate Seal and the Great Seal are protected by law. It is illegal to use them in a way that makes people think the U.S. Government approves of something when it doesn't. The Senate's rules say that using the seals for normal Senate business is fine. However, using them for commercial purposes, personal use, or political campaigns is not allowed. If senators want to show a government symbol on campaign materials, they should use a picture of the United States Capitol dome instead.
Other Senate Symbols
The Eagle and Shield Sculpture
The Eagle and Shield is a golden wooden sculpture. It is currently on the platform (dais) of the Old Senate Chamber. It was there when the Senate used that room in the 1800s. This sculpture dates back to at least 1838. A newspaper article and a speech by Daniel Webster mentioned it then. It might have been made around 1834. A newspaper article from 1838 said that Mr. Thomas C. Millard carved the eagle and shield. Millard was a woodcarver from New York City. He was known for his life-sized animal and human figures.
The eagle is life-sized. It is about 53.5 inches (135.9 cm) tall and 72 inches (182.9 cm) wide. Its design comes from the Great Seal of the United States. When the Senate moved to its new rooms in 1859, the Supreme Court used the old chamber. The shield was moved to an outside door. The eagle was placed somewhere else in the room. In 1976, after the Supreme Court moved to its own building, the two pieces were put back together. They were placed on the dais when the chamber was restored. This sculpture has become a lasting symbol of the Senate.
A modern version of the eagle and shield has been used as a logo for the Senate's website since 2006. It was also used from 1999 to 2002. In between those times, the website used an image of the stained glass window with the official Senate seal. This logo is also used on several online Senate publications.
The Senate Gavel
The Senate gavel is a small hammer used by the person leading the Senate meeting. This is usually the Vice President or the President pro tempore. The gavel is used to announce when a Senate session begins or ends. It is made of ivory and has no handle. It is about 2.5 inches high and 1.375 inches wide. The original gavel was used as far back as 1831. Some say John Adams used it during the first Senate meetings in 1789.
The original gavel started to break apart in the 1940s. In 1952, silver pieces were added to try to protect it. But in 1954, Vice President Richard Nixon hit it hard during a debate. It completely broke into pieces. Officials wanted to make an exact copy. However, they could not find enough ivory. So, Senate officials asked the government of India for help. On November 17, 1954, the Vice-President of India, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, gave the Senate a new gavel. This new gavel is still used today. It was an exact copy of the original, but with a decorative floral band around the middle. Both the original and new gavels are kept in a mahogany box. Each day, a Senate page places the box on the desk of the presiding officer.
It is now a tradition for new senators to lead the Senate meetings for about an hour. This helps them learn the Senate's rules. Usually, this is only for senators from the majority party. But if the Senate is evenly split, senators from both parties will take turns.
The seal of the President pro tempore of the United States Senate includes a picture of the original gavel. Some pictures even show its cracks. It also includes two quill pens and parts from the official Senate seal.
