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The Massachusetts state seal has evolved over time, reflecting the history and important issues of the region and its people. The first seal depicted a Native American Algonquian, while the current seal features a buckskin Algonquian Indian holding a bow in peace. The seal is an official signature and confers governmental approval and constitutional authority for legal documents.
The Massachusetts state seal has a long history spanning from the formation of the Massachusetts Bay Colony as a British royal colony in 1629 to the modern state seal approved by the Massachusetts legislature in 1898. The evolution of the Massachusetts state seal chronicles the history of the origin of the colony and its development as one of the first states of the United States. As with other state emblems such as state songs, the state motto, and the state nickname, the state seal uniquely reflects the history and important issues of the region and its people. In addition to inspiring patriotic pride and preserving a significant moment in history, the seal is considered an official signature, conferring governmental approval and constitutional authority for legal documents.
The first state seal of Massachusetts was created shortly after the region’s formation as a royal colony, in 1629, and remained in use until 1692. The seal depicted a Native American Algonquian, the area’s native Indian, dressed in a loin of cloth leaves and pronouncing the words: “Come and help us”. The Indian holds an arrow pointing downwards, indicative of his peaceful intentions and need for spiritual aid from the English Puritans who colonized the region and befriended the natives. Two pines stand behind the Indian, symbolizing the tree’s abundance in the region. Surrounding the seal is a Latin phrase that translates to “Seal of the Massachusetts Bay Society in New England.”
From 1692 to 1775, the colony’s official seal bore the British royal coat of arms, depicting Massachusetts as a province of England under the control of the British monarch. In 1775, when Massachusetts shrugged off British control and claimed independence from the throne, a new seal was created. The seal, engraved by Boston metalworker Paul Revere of Midnight Ride fame, depicted a typical American patriot in a tricorn hat and underpants, holding a sword in one hand and the Magna Carta in the other. Surrounding the patriot was a Latin phrase, which translates to “By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under freedom”. This seal remained in use until a new seal was needed for the new state of Massachusetts.
The first official state seal of Massachusetts was designed by Nathan Cushing, who referenced the original seal of Massachusetts Bay with a depiction of an Algonquian Native American. Governor John Hancock and the Massachusetts council approved the design on December 23, 1780. The exact appearance of the seal, however, was not outlined in official documents, so the design varied somewhat depending on the engravers’ interpretations.
In 1885 and 1898, the state legislature sought to officially and more accurately define the Massachusetts state seal into the modern state seal as represented today. The state seal of Massachusetts depicts a buckskin Algonquian Indian, holding a bow in peace, within a blue shield. A single white star symbolizes the state of Massachusetts. A blue banner in Latin repeats the independent trumpet of the 1775 seal; an arm holding a sword illustrates the motto of the seal.
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