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The Latin phrase “e pluribus unum” means “from many, one” and is the official motto of the United States. Its origins are unclear, but it was adopted by Congress in 1782 and appears on American currency and government documents, symbolizing the union of the original 13 colonies and ethnic diversity in the US. The Great Seal of the United States features the phrase alongside an eagle holding an olive branch and a quiver of arrows. The Secretary of State is the custodian of the official physical seal, used more than 2,000 times a year on official documents.
The phrase “e pluribus unum” is Latin and literally translates as “from many, one”. Many people are familiar with this phrase from the context of the Great Seal of the United States, which appears on some American currencies and government documents. Several organizations have also adopted the phrase as their motto, both in the United States and abroad.
This phrase has obscure origins that are difficult to pin down. A similar phrase appears in the works of Virgil, notably in a salad recipe, or so Bill Bryson claims in Made in America, a survey of American English. The term was also used by Gentlemen’s Magazine, a publication popular with the upper classes in the 18th century. Each year, the publication printed an issue featuring the previous year’s best work, and no doubt upper-class Americans in the nascent nation’s government would be familiar with the magazine and this annual “best of” issue.
Whatever the origin, “e pluribus unum” was adopted by Congress in 1782 as the official motto, together with “annuit coeptis” (“approved our undertakings”) and “novus ordo seclorum” (“a new order for the ages ” ). Almost immediately, the phrase was integrated into design proposals for the Great Seal of the United States and, in 1795, it also appeared on American currency. Incidentally, American currency was not widely standardized until the mid-19th century; before this period banks freely printed their own money, and even shopkeepers had to accept foreign currency, keeping a formidable table of exchange rates in front of them.
On the Great Seal of the United States, the phrase appears in the banner held in the beak of the American eagle. The busy eagle also holds an olive branch and a quiver of arrows in its left and right talons, respectively. The phrase is meant to symbolize the union of the original 13 colonies and their close relationship with the federal government. Over time, people have also taken “e pluribus unum” to refer to ethnic diversity in the United States.
The motto appears on all modern American currency, sometimes alongside the eagle and more often independently. The Great Seal of the United States is also featured on U.S. passports, government documents, bills that have been signed into law, treaties, and other formal U.S. government communications. Incidentally, the Secretary of State is the custodian of the official physical seal of the United States, which is used more than 2,000 times a year on official documents.
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