The Great Seal of the United States

On July 4, 1776, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson were given the task of creating a seal for the United States of America. The delegates of the Constitutional Convention believed an emblem and national coat of arms would be evidence of an independent nation and a free people with high aspirations and grand hopes for the future.The seal reflects the beliefs and values that the Founding Fathers wanted to pass on to their descendents.

In the center of the seal is a bald eagle, our national bird. It holds in its beak a scroll inscribed E pluribus unum, which is Latin meaning "out of many, one" and stands for one nation that was created from 13 colonies. In one claw is an olive branch, while the other holds a bundle of thirteen arrows. The olive branch and arrows "denote the power of peace and war."

A shield with thirteen red and white stripes covers the eagle's breast. The shield is supported solely by the American eagle to denote that Americans should rely on their own virtue. The red and white stripes of the shield represent the states united under and supporting the blue, representing the President and Congress. The color white signifies purity and innocence; red, hardiness and valor; and blue signifies vigilance, perseverance, and justice. Above the eagle's head is a cloud surrounding a blue field containing thirteen stars, which forms a constellation. The constellation denotes that a new State is taking its place among other nations.

Do you see a pattern of thirteen in the Great Seal?

  • 13 stars in the crest above the eagle
  • 13 stripes in the shield upon the eagle's breast
  • 13 arrows in the eagle's left claw
  • 13 olives and leaves in the eagles' right claw
  • 13 letters in the motto carried by the eagle, E Pluribus Unum

Why thirteen? Thirteen represents the first thirteen states - Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.

The seal's reverse side is sometimes referred to as the spiritual side. It contains a 13-step pyramid with the year 1776 in Roman numerals at the base. At the top of the pyramid is the Eye of Providence and above is the motto Annuit Coeptis, meaning "It [the Eye of Providence] is favorable to our undertakings" or "He favors our undertakings." Below the pyramid, a scroll reads, Novus Ordo Seclorum, meaning "New Order of the Ages." It refers to 1776 as the beginning of the American new era.

The Great Seal can be seen on the back of a one-dollar bill. The Secretary of State is the official custodian of the seal. It is only attached (affixed) to certain documents, such as foreign treaties and presidential proclamations. The Great Seal is displayed in the Exhibit Hall of the Department of State, in Washington, DC.

The Executive Branch
The executive branch of the federal government carries out or executes the laws made by Congress. The chief executive is the President. The Vice President takes the place of the president when necessary.
The executive branch is the largest branch of government and employs the most people. It includes the Cabinet, the 14 large executive departments of the Cabinet, and many other agencies and organizations, such as the Post Office, the Army, Navy, and Air Force, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the FBI and the CIA.
Information about the President
requirements / must be 35 years old
must be born in the United States
must live in the U.S. for 14 years before election
term of office / 4 years
can be elected only two times
how elected / by the Electoral College
powers / signs or vetoes bills passed by Congress
commander-in-chief of the military
recognizes other countries
make treaties with other countries (must be approved by the Senate)
appoints Supreme Court justices and federal judges (must be approved by Senate)
other duties / appoints Cabinet members

Electing the president:

People in each state do not vote directly for the president. The President is officially elected by voters calledelectors. Each state has a certain number of electors, equal to the number of Senators plus Representatives from that state.

In November of an election year, the people vote. The candidate who receives the most popular votes getsallthe states electoral votes.

The legislative branch

Congress Which is on Capitol Hill is divided into two houses, the Senate and the House ofRepresentatives. The main responsibility of Congress is to make laws for the United States.
The Senate
According to the Constitution, each state elects 2 senators. Now there are 100 senators because there are 50 states. The number of senators has changed over the years as the number of states in the U.S. increased.
Information about Senators
How many / 100 - 2 from each of the 50 states
Requirements / must be 30 years old
must be a U.S. citizen for 9 years
Term of office / 6 years
Presiding officer / the vice president of the U.S.
or thepresident pro temporeof the Senate when the vice president is absent
Special duties / approves or disapproves treaties with other countries
approves or disapproves presidential appointments

The House of Representatives

There are 435 members of the House. Every state has at least one representative in the House, but states have different amounts of representatives depending on how many people live in the state.The larger a state's population, the more representatives it has.

Members of the House meet in the room pictured above. Members of the House sit on benches. The House first moved into this room on December 16, 1857. The House Chamber is the largest room in the CapitolBuilding, so it is also used when the the House and Senate meet in joint sessions or when the President addresses Congress.

Information about Representatives
How many / 435 always
The number of representatives depends on how many people live in each state. States with a larger total population have more members than states with smaller populations. Each state has at least one representative.
Requirements / must be 25 years old
must be a U.S. citizen for 7 years
Term of office / 2 years
Presiding officer / Speaker of the House
Special duties / Impeach, or bring charges against, the president or federal official
Choose a president if no candidate receives a majority of electoral votes