Seal of Missouri
Encyclopedia
The Great Seal of the State of Missouri
was adopted on January 11, 1822. Judge Robert William Wells
, who was also a congressman, designed the seal. 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
represents the newness of statehood and the potential for growth. Surrounding these symbols is the motto "United we stand, divided we fall". Two mighty grizzly 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".
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
(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 London Borough of Lewisham
, the Duquesne University School of Law
, and is used as the motto of the Vlaams Belang political group
in the Belgian Chamber of Representatives. John Locke
uses it as the epigraph in his Second Treatise on Government and refers to it as a fundamental rule for government.
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
was adopted on January 11, 1822. Judge Robert William Wells
Robert William Wells
Robert William Wells was a United States federal judge.Born in Winchester, Virginia, Wells read law to enter the bar in 1820. He was in private practice in Saint Charles, Missouri, from 1820 to 1821, and was a circuit attorney of the St. Charles Circuit from 1821 to 1822...
, who was also a congressman, designed the seal. The center of the seal contains the Great Seal of the United States
Great Seal of the United States
The Great Seal of the United States is used to authenticate certain documents issued by the United States federal government. The phrase is used both for the physical seal itself , and more generally for the design impressed upon it...
on the right side, and, on the left, symbols representing the state. On both sides of the center circle, a bear
Bear
Bears are mammals of the family Ursidae. Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern...
represents strength and bravery; a crescent moon
Lunar phase
A lunar phase or phase of the moon is the appearance of the illuminated portion of the Moon as seen by an observer, usually on Earth. The lunar phases change cyclically as the Moon orbits the Earth, according to the changing relative positions of the Earth, Moon, and Sun...
represents the newness of statehood and the potential for growth. Surrounding these symbols is the motto "United we stand, divided we fall". Two mighty grizzly bears support this center shield. A scroll carries the state motto, "Salus Populi Suprema Lex Esto", a Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
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
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(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".
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
Cicero
Marcus Tullius Cicero , was a Roman philosopher, statesman, lawyer, political theorist, and Roman constitutionalist. He came from a wealthy municipal family of the equestrian order, and is widely considered one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists.He introduced the Romans to the chief...
's De Legibus
De Legibus
The de Legibus 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...
(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
City of Salford
The City of Salford is a city and metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It is named after its largest settlement, Salford, but covers a far larger area which includes the towns of Eccles, Swinton-Pendlebury, Walkden and Irlam which apart from Irlam each have a population of over...
, the London Borough of Lewisham
London Borough of Lewisham
The London Borough of Lewisham is a London borough in south-east London, England and forms part of Inner London. The principal settlement of the borough is Lewisham...
, the Duquesne University School of Law
Duquesne University School of Law
Duquesne University School of Law is a private Catholic university law school located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The School of Law was founded in 1911, and is the only multiple-division law school in western Pennsylvania. Located on the Duquesne University campus, the law school is walking...
, and is used as the motto of the Vlaams Belang political group
Vlaams Belang
Vlaams Belang is a Belgian far-right political party in the Flemish Region and Brussels that advocates the independence of Flanders and strict limits on immigration, whereby immigrants would be obliged to adopt Flemish culture and language...
in the Belgian Chamber of Representatives. John Locke
John Locke
John Locke FRS , widely known as the Father of Liberalism, was an English philosopher and physician regarded as one of the most influential of Enlightenment thinkers. Considered one of the first of the British empiricists, following the tradition of Francis Bacon, he is equally important to social...
uses it as the epigraph in his Second Treatise on Government and refers to it as a fundamental rule for government.
See also
- Coat of Arms of the U.S. StatesCoat of Arms of the U.S. StatesThe coats of arms of the U.S. states are coats of arms, adopted by those states that have chosen, that are an official symbol of the state, alongside their seal. Eighteen states have officially adopted coats of arms...
- Seals of the U.S. statesSeals of the U.S. statesThe following gallery displays the official seals of the 50 states, federal district, and territories of the United States of America:-See also:* Coat of Arms of the U.S. States* Seals of Governors of the U.S. States* Flags of the U.S. states...
- List of Missouri state symbols
- Flag of MissouriFlag of MissouriThe Flag of the State of Missouri was designed and stitched in Jackson, Missouri, by Marie Elizabeth Watkins Oliver , the wife of former State Senator R.B. Oliver. Her design was adopted in 1913 and remains unchanged to this day....