The Great Seal of Missouri is used to authenticate certain documents issued by the Government of Missouri. The phrase is used both for the physical seal itself, which is kept by the secretary of state, and more generally for the design impressed upon it. The Great Seal was designed by Robert Wells of Jefferson City.

Design

The center of the seal contains the Great Seal of the United States on the right side, and, on the left, symbols representing the state. On both sides of the center circle, a bear, represents strength and bravery; a

crescent moon Crescent moon may refer to: Lunar phases *Fingernail moon, a lunar phase waxing until 7 days after or waning since 7 days before the new moon * Hilal (crescent moon), an Arabic term for the very slight crescent moon that is first visible after a n ...

, a symbol of the Virgin Mary and a nod to the French who first settled Missouri, represents the newness of statehood and the potential for growth. Surrounding these symbols is the motto "United we stand, divided we fall". The belt buckle signifies the State's ability to secede from the Union if deemed necessary, i.e., the belt can be unbuckled. Two mighty bears, representing Missouri's native bears, support this center shield. A scroll carries the state motto, ''Salus populi suprema lex esto'', a Latin phrase meaning "Let the welfare of the people be the supreme law." The year 1820 is inscribed in Roman numerals below the scroll, although Missouri was not officially granted statehood until 1821. A star representing each of the other states of the Union (Missouri became the 24th) graces the top portion of the seal. The outer circle of the seal bears the words "The Great Seal of the State of Missouri". Above the shield is a helmet representing Missouri's state sovereignty. The large star above the helmet surrounded by 23 smaller stars represents Missouri's status as the 24th state. The cloud around the stars indicates the problems Missouri had in becoming a state. ''Salus populi suprema lex esto'' ( Latin "Let the good of the people be the supreme law" or "The welfare of the people shall be the supreme law") is found in Cicero's ''

De Legibus The ''De Legibus'' (''On the Laws'') is a dialogue written by Marcus Tullius Cicero during the last years of the Roman Republic. It bears the same name as Plato's famous dialogue, ''The Laws''. Unlike his previous work ''De re publica,'' in whi ...

'' (book III, part III, sub. VIII), as ''Ollis salus populi suprema lex esto''. The phrase is the state motto of Missouri, accepted in its state seal. It is also the motto, and appears on the coat of arms, of the

City of Salford The City of Salford () is a metropolitan borough within Greater Manchester, England. The borough is named after its main settlement, Salford. The borough covers the towns of Eccles, Swinton, Walkden and Pendlebury, as well as the villages ...

, the London Borough of Lewisham, the

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, and is used as the motto of the Vlaams Belang political group in the

Belgian Chamber of Representatives The Chamber of Representatives (Dutch: , french: link=no, Chambre des représentants, german: link=no, Abgeordnetenkammer) is one of the two chambers in the bicameral Federal Parliament of Belgium, the other being the Senate. It is considered ...

John Locke John Locke (; 29 August 1632 – 28 October 1704) was an English philosopher and physician, widely regarded as one of the most influential of Age of Enlightenment, Enlightenment thinkers and commonly known as the "father of liberalism ...

uses it as the epigraph in his '' Second Treatise on Government'' and refers to it as a fundamental rule for government.

History

Robert Wells, of Jefferson City, designed the seal. The seal was adopted on January 11, 1822. The state's Department of Conservation admits that “The bears on the Great Seal of the State of Missouri are grizzly bears, which never resided in the state.”Ron Soodalter,
The History of Missouri’s Flag
, ''Missouri Life'', July 11, 2019; accessed 2021.05.28.

Government Seals of Missouri

File:Seal of the Missouri House of Representatives.svg, Seal of the Missouri House of Representatives File:Seal of the Senate of Missouri.svg, Seal of the Missouri Senate File:Seal of the State Auditor of Missouri.svg, Seal of the State Auditor of Missouri File:Missouri Public Service Commission Seal.svg, Seal of the

Missouri Public Service Commission The Missouri Public Service Commission regulates investor-owned telephone, electric, natural gas, steam, water, and sewer utilities in the state of Missouri. Manufacturers and retail dealers who sell new and used manufactured homes and modular un ...

References

External links

Office of the Secretary of State of Missouri
{{DEFAULTSORT:Seal Of Missouri Symbols of Missouri Missouri Missouri Missouri Missouri Missouri Missouri Missouri it:Salus populi suprema lex esto

Design

History

Government Seals of Missouri

See also

References

External links