After America became a nation in 1776, the next chore commissioned by congress was that founding fathers “Dr. Franklin, Mr. J Adams and Mr. Jefferson be a committee to bring in a device for a seal for the United States of America.� Six years and several committees later, the bald eagle had landed the position.
And why not? The eagle held a place of strength and honor that often appears in coats of arms. And the Romans, whose republic the founding fathers emulated, seemed to relish the raptor, using it as a military and ceremonial symbol.
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