Discover the Missouri State Seal: History, Symbolism, and Meaning

Missouri is known as “The Show Me State” and the state seal includes plenty of symbolism and imagery that shows everyone how interesting this state is. Missouri officially became a state in 1821 and adopted the seal the following year in 1822. The seal was redesigned a bit over the years but it remains mostly the same and includes the same symbols and meaning. The original 1822 legislation detailed exactly what the symbols meant, which we are able to study today.

The Missouri State Seal History

After becoming a state, Missouri knew that it would need a state seal that could be used on official documents and other places. In 1822, the seal was designed by Judge Robert William Wells. A native Virginian, Wells had become a lawyer with his own private practice in St. Charles, Missouri. The city was the capital of the state at the time and Wells was a prominent figure. After he designed the great seal, he became a member of the Missouri House of Representatives and later the Attorney General for the state.

The design of the great seal of the State of Missouri is mostly the same as Wells’ original design. The images included, as well as their symbolism, were detailed in the legislation of the time. When future generations considered redesigning or updating the seal, they left most aspects the same.

The Missouri State Seal Design

The design of the state seal was very intentional to communicate multiple messages through symbolism. In the center of the seal is a circle. This circle is divided into two halves, one with the federal coat of arms. This looks familiar to many because it is the same coat of arms that appears on places like currency, flags, and passports. The other half is divided into two sections. One shows a crescent moon and the other shows the silhouette of a grizzly bear.

These images are circled by a gold belt, buckled at the bottom, with the words “united we stand divided we fall” written over the entire circle. A grizzly bear is on each side of this circle with one paw on the top of the center part. Below the bears is a banner that reads “salus populi suprema lex esto.” This translates to “the welfare of the people shall be the supreme law” and is Missouri’s state motto. There are also the Roman numerals for the year 1820.

There is a helmet on top of the center coat of arms section, between the grizzlies. Above that are 23 small stars and one larger star, all on top of a blue cloud. The words “the great seal of the state of Missouri” and gold rope circle the entire seal.

The Missouri State Seal Symbolism

With so many images, it makes sense that there is a lot of symbolism in the Missouri state flag. The federal seal in the center represents that Missouri is one state that falls under the jurisdiction of the federal government. While the civil war was not fought until 40 years after the adoption of the Missouri state seal, the importance of remaining part of the union was already a hot topic. Missouri did not leave the Union during the civil war, even though the Confederate states counted Missouri among them. There were many in Missouri who fought on either side during the civil war. The bald eagle in the federal coat of arms is carrying arrows in one talon and olive branches in the other. These represent war and peace. Because the eagle is carrying them, this a clear symbol of these powers resting with the federal authorities.

According to the current Missouri Secretary of State, the bear in the center seal, as well as the two grizzlies around the center seal, represent the “strength and bravery” of Missouri citizens. The crescent moon has a more complex meaning. It symbolizes Missouri as the second state created from land acquired during the Louisiana Purchase, also called the “second son.” The crescent moon is also a symbol of the waxing moon. The moon gets larger during the waxing phase. When the Seal was created, Missouri had a small population and not very much wealth or influence compared to other states. However, that was changing and the seal depicted that the state was growing.

The importance of remaining united with the other states is again the focus of the phrase “united we stand divided we fall.” This became a really important sentiment in Missouri’s history, as loyalties in many parts of the state were divided between the Union and the Confederacy.

The 23 stars above the center section symbolize the other 23 states that were already part of the United States when Missouri became the 24th. The year 1820 represents the year that Missouri gained statehood. Although Missouri officially petitioned to become a state in 1818, the process was not easy. Missouri still allowed slavery and northern states did not want to allow another slave state to join the U.S. Missouri was only allowed to join the United States two years later as part of The Missouri Compromise that ensured Maine was admitted as a free state. The cloud surrounding the stars represents the rocky process that led to Missouri becoming a state. The words surrounding the entire seal mark it as the Great Seal of the State of Missouri.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © rarrarorro/Shutterstock.com