The Tennessee State Seal represents the importance of agriculture and the Tennessee River’s contribution to commerce. The upper part symbolizes agriculture, while the lower part represents trade across the river. The seal has undergone minor updates since its creation in 1796. Agriculture and commerce are the state motto, and the Tennessee Valley Authority has helped the river handle navigation needs since 1933. The seal was updated in 1987.
The Tennessee State Seal commemorates the importance of agriculture to the state and the Tennessee River’s contribution to commerce. It also includes some updates that have been made since the original creation of the sigil. The upper part of the seal is occupied by images symbolizing agriculture and the important role it plays in the state. Below is an image that represents how trade across the Tennessee River also contributed to the state’s economy and development. Since the seal was created, the basic design has remained the same, but there have been some minor updates.
Agriculture in Tennessee has long provided jobs and income for many residents. In fact, agriculture is so important to the state that 44 percent of the land is devoted to it. It is for this reason that agriculture was made a major theme when the state seal of Tennessee was created. The top half of the seal contains images representing some of the most important aspects of agriculture at the time, with the word “agriculture” written in capital letters below them.
Tennessee’s state motto is “Agriculture and Commerce,” so it makes sense that the bottom half of the Tennessee state seal represents commerce. The Tennessee River has, for many years, provided a way to easily transport goods and has had a significant impact on the development of the state’s economy. Since 1933, the Tennessee Valley Authority has operated a series of dams and locks that allow the river to continue to handle the state’s ever-increasing navigation needs. The image of a river boat above the word trade indicates this industry on the seal.
In 1796, provisions for the Tennessee state seal were established as the state constitution was being created. The design included Roman numerals for the number 16, indicating Tennessee’s place as the 16th state in the Union, and the date, February 6, 1796, to commemorate the creation of the seal. Over time the design of the seal evolved slightly and the date was changed to simply read 1796. Another notable change was the replacement of a boat with a boatman with a larger vessel, complete with a rig. A new version of the Tennessee state seal incorporating these changes was adopted in 1987.
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