The quick answer: E Pluribus Unum means “Out of many, one.” Adopted for the Great Seal in 1782, it originally evoked the union of thirteen states and now expresses a broader ideal of pluralism joined by common citizenship.
A motto for a union
The phrase appears on the Great Seal of the United States, carried on a scroll in the eagle’s beak. The design repeatedly uses the number thirteen to represent the original states. The motto’s first task was political: independent states had chosen to become one nation capable of acting together.
Unity is not sameness
The strongest reading of the motto does not ask Americans to discard regional memory, faith, ancestry, custom, or conviction. It asks whether people who differ can still recognize common rules and reciprocal duties. A durable union makes room for many stories while refusing the idea that only one kind of person is fully American.
The practical work of “one”
National unity becomes credible through equal citizenship, reliable institutions, shared public spaces, military and civilian service, interstate exchange, and the ordinary courtesy of neighbors. It is not a mood that appears only during celebration. It is a practice of choosing cooperation where separation would be easier.
A motto for the next 250
America at 250 is vastly larger and more varied than the republic that adopted the seal. That makes the old motto more demanding, not less relevant. The next chapter depends on protecting the many while continually rebuilding the one: a constitutional community broad enough to belong to all of us.
Quick facts
- The Great Seal was adopted by the Continental Congress in 1782.
- E Pluribus Unum is commonly translated as “Out of many, one.”
- The number thirteen appears throughout the seal’s design.
- The Secretary of State is the custodian of the Great Seal.
Questions readers ask
Is E Pluribus Unum the official national motto?
The statutory national motto is “In God We Trust.” E Pluribus Unum remains a historic national motto and a central element of the Great Seal.
What did the phrase originally refer to?
It expressed the union of the thirteen original states. Its modern civic meaning has widened to include the country’s many peoples and communities.
Explore the sources
These primary and public-history resources are a good place to continue:
- National Museum of American Diplomacy: The Great Seal
- U.S. Department of State: Great Seal information packet
250 Pulse tells the American story with context, confidence, and room for every neighbor.
