Eagle Symbolism: What Does The American Eagle Symbol Represent?

On the Great Seal of the United States of America, a bald eagle majestically spreads his wings in a show of power. The bird is a national symbol of freedom, thanks to its ability to soar through the skies, but was also chosen for its power and strength, and a belief held at the time of the seal's creation in the 18th century that it only lived in the U.S.

The American Bald Eagle is a bird of prey with a large wingspan. It has long been a species of eagles that is classified as an endangered species, although that has started to improve in recent years. The eagle is highly regarded in Native American culture as well, with eagle feathers being used for headdresses and the animal itself regarded as a totem and a spirit animal. The eagle eye is often a symbol of accuracy and precision.

The bald eagle on the Great Seal of the United States is surrounded by other powerful symbols. This national bird is a power animal – an American symbol that has become a longstanding national emblem since the time of the founding fathers. In his talons, the eagle holds a quiver of arrows and an olive branch, representing war and peace. The shield on the eagle is red, white and blue, colors taken from the American flag. White signifies purity and innocence, red, hardiness and valor and blue vigilance, perseverance and justice in American culture. The shield or escutcheon, which is held by the eagle without assistance, demonstrates that the American states "ought to rely on their own virtue," according to the State Department and Congress. The number 13 also appears on the seal several times, as it has 13 stars above the eagle's head, arranged in a constellation signifying a new nation taking its place among the other countries in the world, 13 stripes on the shield and 13 arrows, all representative of the original 13 colonies. This official seal also has the words “E pluribus unum” on it, which means “Out of many, one."