Understanding the Great Seal of the United States

The Great Seal of the United States serves as the nation's emblem and coat of arms, symbolizing both peace and defense through its imagery of olive branches and arrows. It is used to authenticate important documents signed by the President and Secretary of State, such as international treaties and presidential proclamations. Since Thomas Jefferson's time, the Great Seal has been applied to significant documents, with the Department of State currently sealing around 3,000 documents annually.

What do the 13 arrows and 13 olives on the Great Seal symbolize?

• The 13 founding fathers

• The 13 original colonies

• The 13 states in the union

• The balance between peace and war

Which documents are authenticated using the Great Seal?

• Presidential speeches

• International treaties and presidential proclamations

• State laws

• Military orders

What is the primary purpose of the Great Seal?

• To symbolize the military

• To decorate government buildings

• To authenticate important documents

• To represent the President

Who was the first Secretary of State to use the Great Seal?

• John Adams

• George Washington

• Thomas Jefferson

• Benjamin Franklin

Approximately how many documents does the Department of State seal each year?

• 1,000

• 3,000

• 4,000

• 2,000