The Arkansas state seal was designed by Samuel Calhoun Roane in 1820. It features a liberty baton, shield, and the Goddess of Liberty. The design has gone through several changes, including the spelling of the state name and the number of stars. The current design is similar to the one adopted in 1864. The Latin word “Populi” was changed to “Populus” in 1907 to better reflect the state motto.
In 1820, Samuel Calhoun Roane designed the precursor to the current state seal of Arkansas. Later, when Arkansas became a state in 1836, the seal became the “State Seal of Arkansas” and contained many of the elements of Roane’s design. The state legislature passed a law in 1856 that required several elements on the seal, including the words Regnat Populi, which means “The People Rule.” Like many state seals, the Arkansas state seal has gone through several changes, but the current design is very similar to the one adopted in 1864. Populi was changed to Populus in 1907 because the word more accurately describes “people.”
Roane’s design for the territorial seal bears many similarities to the current state seal of Arkansas, such as the liberty baton or the shaft topped with a liberty cap. This symbol of freedom and freedom has been on each of the state seals. Another common element is the shield, although Roane decorated his shield with a steamboat in the upper section, a plow and a beehive in the middle section, and a star in the third section. Later the designers changed the star to a sheaf of wheat to symbolize the state’s agricultural output. Its territorial seal and all subsequent seals also depict the Goddess of Liberty holding the staff and cap of liberty in one hand and the crown of victory in the other.
Some of the earlier territorial seals spelled the state name as “Arkansaw,” which was the original spelling. One such seal, designed in 1832, had two flags flanking a shield. This is similar to Roane’s design which has two eagles holding up the shield. Modern versions of the seal feature an eagle with the shield covering the chest.
There are other differences between Roane’s original design and the current state seal of Arkansas. While the modern design features only 13 stars, his had 26 surrounding the goddess of liberty. In the border on the left side, Roane placed the scales of justice and a sword. On the right side he had a shield, the baton and cap of liberty and a pistol. His design incorporated the staff and cowl twice, which the designers reduced to just one in later designs.
As is typical of symbols, such as state seals, the designs often reflect popular elements or designs. An example of this in the Arkansas state seal is that the 12 stars with fine lines in the 1876 design are more pronounced with heavier, more decorative lines in the 1889 design. The 1889 design also introduces a larger victory wreath and decorative in the hand of the goddess of freedom. Over the years, the legislator instigated other design changes to improve the seal, including adding the name “Mercy” to the angel, adding “Justice” to the sword, and changing the Latin word Populi to Populus. Populi means “a group of people” while Populus means “people”, which is more indicative of the state motto.
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