Great Seal of the United States 13, 1782, the Congress turned to its Secretary [[Charles Thomson]], and provided all material submitted by the first three committees. Thomson was 53 years old, and had been a Latin master at a Philadelphia academy. Thomson took elements from all three previous committees, coming up with a new design which provided the basis for the final seal. Thomson used the eagle—this time specifying an American [[bald eagle]]—as the sole supporter on the shield. The shield had thirteen stripes, this time in a [[Chevron (insignia)|chevron]] pattern, and the eagle's claws held an olive branch and a bundle of thirteen arrows. For
Seal of Alabama on December 29, 1868, featuring an American bald eagle with a U.S. shield. The law describes the design thus: The seal is in the form of a circle, and two and a quarter inches in diameter; near the edge is the word 'ALABAMA' and opposite, at the same distance from the edge, are the words 'GREAT SEAL.' In the centre of the seal an eagle is represented with raised wings alighting upon the national shield, with three arrows in his left talon. The eagle holds in his beak a streamer, on which immediately over the wings are the words 'HERE