E pluribus unum

For other uses, see E pluribus unum (disambiguation).
"Out of Many, One" redirects here. For the book by George W. Bush, see Out of Many, One: Portraits of America's Immigrants. For the Tami Chynn album, see Out of Many...One.

E pluribus unum included in the Great Seal of the United States, being one of the nation's mottos at the time of the seal's creation

E pluribus unum (/iː ˈplɜːrɪbəs ˈuːnəm/ ee PLUR-ib-əs OO-nəm, Classical Latin: [eː ˈpluːrɪbʊs ˈuːnʊ̃], Latin pronunciation: [e ˈpluribus ˈunum]) – Latin for "Out of many, one"[1][2] (also translated as "One out of many"[3] or "One from many"[4]) – is a traditional motto of the United States, appearing on the Great Seal along with Annuit cœptis (Latin for "he approves the undertaking") and Novus ordo seclorum (Latin for "New order of the ages") which appear on the reverse of the Great Seal; its inclusion on the seal was suggested by Pierre Eugene du Simitiere and approved in an act of the Congress of the Confederation in 1782.[2] While its status as national motto was for many years unofficial, E pluribus unum was still considered the de facto motto of the United States from its early history.[5] Eventually, the U.S. Congress passed an act in 1956 (H. J. Resolution 396), adopting "In God We Trust" as the official motto.[6]

That the phrase "E pluribus unum" has thirteen letters makes its use symbolic of the original Thirteen Colonies which rebelled against the rule of the Kingdom of Great Britain and became the first thirteen states, represented today as the thirteen stripes on the American flag.

Original 1776 design for the Great Seal by Pierre Eugene du Simitiere. The shields with 13 initials of the colonies surrounding symbols for the six origin nations England (rose), Scotland (thistle), Ireland (harp), Holland (the Netherlands) (lion), France (fleur-de-lis), and Germany (eagle) linked together with motto.[7]

The meaning of the phrase originated from the concept that out of the union of the original Thirteen Colonies emerged a new single nation.[8] It is emblazoned across the scroll and clenched in the eagle's beak on the Great Seal of the United States.[8][9]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference US-Treasury was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b "E Pluribus Unum - Origin and Meaning of the Motto Carried by the American Eagle". Greatseal.com. November 28, 2011. Retrieved April 28, 2012.
  3. ^ "E Pluribus Unum 2". Collins English Dictionary: Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition. HarperCollins. Retrieved December 23, 2012.
  4. ^ "E Pluribus Unum". Retrieved March 29, 2012.
  5. ^ Bittker, Boris; Idleman, Scott; Ravitch, Frank (2015). Religion and the State in American Law. Cambridge University Press. p. 136. ISBN 9781107071827.
  6. ^ "Text of H.J.Res. 396 (84th): Joint resolution to establish a national motto of the United States (Passed Congress version) - GovTrack.us". GovTrack.us.
  7. ^ Beans, Bruce E. (1997). Eagle's Plume: The Struggle to Preserve the Life and Haunts of America's Bald Eagle. University of Nebraska Press. p. 58. ISBN 9780803261426. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  8. ^ a b The Great Seal of the United States - U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Public Affairs (Page: 6)
  9. ^ E. Beans, Bruce (January 1997). Eagle's Plume: The Struggle to Preserve the Life and Haunts of America's. U of Nebraska Press. ISBN 9780803261426. Retrieved January 10, 2021.