Sketch of the Great Seal of the United States
By Francis Hopkinson, May 10, 1780
Pencil and ink on paper
National Archives and Records Administration, Records of the Continental and Confederation Congresses and the Constitutional Convention

Symbolism: Sketch of the Great Seal of the United States
On July 4, 1776, after voting for independence from Great Britain, the Continental Congress passed a resolution directing that Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson form a committee to design a seal, emblem, or coat of arms to give visible evidence of the new sovereign nation of free people. Six years, 2 committees, 14 men, and many ideas later, the Great Seal of the United States was approved on June 20, 1782. Francis Hopkinson submitted the design shown here in 1780. Although his scheme was not accepted, several of its components were incorporated into Charles Thomson's approved design of 1782. Hopkinson introduced the olive branch as a symbol of peace. He also suggested the red, white, and blue colors for the shield.