Great Seal of the United States Great Seal die.jpg|thumb|left|1885 die]] On December 13, 1884, following much research and discussion among the group, Whitehouse submitted his designs. The result was a much more formal and heraldic look, completely different from previous dies, and has remained essentially unchanged since. The eagle is a great deal more robust, and clutches the olive branch and arrows from behind. The 13 arrows were restored, in accordance with the original law, and the olive branch was depicted with 13 leaves and 13 olives. The clouds surrounding the constellation were made a complete circle for the first time. The resulting die was made
Great Seal of the United States [[William Barton (heraldist)|William Barton]] were Masons and, while [[Francis Hopkinson]] has been alleged to have had Masonic connections, there is no firm evidence to support the claim. [[Category:1782 establishments in the United States|Great Seal]] [[Category:American heraldry|Great Seal of the United States]] [[Category:Birds in art]] [[Category:National coats of arms]] [[Category:National seals]] [[Category:National symbols of the United States|Great Seal]] [[Category:Ordinances of the Continental Congress|Great Seal]] Great Seal of the United States The Great Seal of the United States is used to authenticate certain documents issued by the federal government of the United States. The phrase is used both for the physical seal