The Missouri State Seal

The Great Seal of the State of Missouri was officially adopted by the General Assembly on January 11, 1822. Congressman and Judge Robert William Wells designed the seal. The center contains the bald eagle symbol of the nation on the right side and, on the left, symbols representing the state. A grizzly 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 grizzly bears support the center shield. A scroll carries the state motto, “Salus Populi Suprema Lex Esto,” or “Let the welfare of the people be the supreme law.” Missouri’s date of statehood, 1820, is placed in Roman numerals below the scroll. The large star at the top, surrounded by twenty three smaller stars, stands for Missouri’s status as the twenty-fourth state. The cloud around the star represents the problems Missouri had in becoming a state.