The seal of the President of the United States of
America is based upon the Great Seal of the USA. The Presidential seal
pictures an American bald eagle holding a ribbon in its beak; the ribbon
has the motto of the USA, "E PLURIBUS UNUM," meaning "Out of many, one."
The eagle is clutching an olive branch (with 13 olives and 13 leaves) in
one foot (symbolizing peace) and 13 arrows in the other (the 13 stands
for the original 13 colonies and the arrows symbolize the acceptance of
the need to go to war to protect the country).
A shield is in front of the eagle; the shield has
13 red and white stripes (representing the original 13 colonies) with a
blue bar above it (it symbolizes the uniting of the 13 colonies and
represents congress). Above the eagle are 13 white clouds, 13 white
stars, and many tiny stars. 50 white stars surround the eagle in a
circle (on a deep blue field). The words, "Seal of the President
of the United States" surround the seal (on a tan field).
The first President who used a presidential seal
was Rutherford B. Hayes; in 1880, Hayes used the seal for White House
invitations. US President Harry Truman had the seal redesigned on
October 26, 1945, adding the circle of stars and re-orienting the eagle.
The design of first seal of the President of the
United States of America was designed by Benjamin Franklin, John Adams
and Thomas Jefferson at the request of the Continental Congress. The
design was approved on June 20, 1782.
