The exact debate over the design of the Great Seal of the United States is not a matter of common knowledge, though it is known that four kinds of birds were suggested in preliminary Great Seal designs: a two-headed eagle, a rooster, a dove, and a “phoenix in flames.” The bald eagle was chosen for the front seal and an unfinished pyramid for the back of the seal.

Legend has it that Benjamin Franklin was upset with the design. The letter wrote to his daughter has become famous:

Franklin’s Letter to his Daughter (excerpt)

“For my own part I wish the Bald Eagle had not been chosen the Representative of our Country. He is a Bird of bad moral Character. He does not get his Living honestly. You may have seen him perched on some dead Tree near the River, where, too laxy to fish for himself, he watches the Labour of the Fishing Hawk; and when that diligent Bird has at length taken a Fish, and is bearing it to his Nest for the Support of his Mate and young Ones, the Bald Eagle pursues him and takes it from him.“With all this injustice, he is never in good Case but like those among Men who live by Sharping & Robbing he is generally poor and often very lousy. Besides he is a rank Coward: The little King Bird not bigger than a Sparrow attacks him boldly and drives him out of the District. He is therefore by no means a proper Emblem for the brave and honest Cincinnati of America who have driven all the King birds from our Country . . .“I am on this account displeased that the Figure is not known as a Bald Eagle, but looks more like a Turkey. For the Truth the Turkey is in Comparison a much more respectable Bird, and withal a true original Native of America . . . He is besides, though a little vain & silly, a Bird of Courage, and would not hesitate to attack a Grenadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his Farm Yard with a red Coat on.”

I don’t know what Franklin was getting at. The bird on the Great Seal doesn’t look like a turkey to me. And the turkeys in my yard cannot be described as courageous. The seal has the official coat of arms of the country. It appears on government documents, on the cover of our passports and in any number of other official roles. It is a fascinating design. The bald eagle has a shield on its breast, with blue at the top and white and thirteen white and red stripes, similar to the flag, except there are seven white stripes and six red. On the flag, it is the other way around. And there are no stars in the field of blue. The eagle has an olive branch in its right talon, with 13 leaves and 13 olives. In the right talon is a bundle of 13 arrows. The bird is facing the olive branch, symbolizing its preference for peace. In its beak is a scroll inscribed with E pluribus unum (“out of Many, One”). And over its head is a “glory” with 13 white stars on a field of blue surrounded by gold and white. The arrangement of the 13 stars is interesting: 1-4-3-4-1, forming a six-pointed star.

The 1782 resolution adopting the seal also described the reverse of the seal: “A pyramid unfinished. In the zenith an eye in a triangle, surrounded by a glory, proper.” It appears on the back of a one-dollar bill. The symbolism is a bit more obscure. The eye is supposed to be the Eye of Providence watching over the new nation. The motto on the reverse, “Novus ordo seclorium” (“a new order of the ages”) was taken from Virgil.

I’m not too enamored with lots of obscure symbols, but I can’t find myself agreeing with Franklin about the turkey. We get to see plenty of turkeys and a few bald eagles in our normal course of life. It seems to me Franklin is inaccurate on two counts. While an eagle is definitely an opportunist, they are capable of catching a fish on their own. I’ve watched them fishing from my canoe and I have seen them with fresh caught fish in their talons. Secondly, turkeys are not courageous birds. A flock of turkeys will surround and pick on a cat that gets too bold, but individually they will run away from the feline. Try as I will, I can’t see much intelligence in the birds. Those tiny heads don’t have any room for significant brains. They are, as Franklin comments, mostly vain and silly. I can’t imagine a turkey chasing a soldier of any country. They don’t appear to be territorial. I don’t count stupidly walking in front of a car to be run over an act of courage.

A couple of weeks ago a group of us were up in the open prairie above the Moreau River. As we finished our work we looked up and there was a beautiful bald eagle soaring in great circles above us. I’ve never seen a turkey fly much higher than the roof of the house. The eagle was beautiful in flight. Its presence above our heads seemed to be a good sign.

I told the story to a friend a couple of days later and he commented, “There must have been a dead rabbit in the coulee.” There are still a few friends of Benjamin Franklin around, I guess.

Franklin, of course, did not prevail in the argument. The US Coat of Arms is here to stay. The bald eagle is truly a magnificent bird. The turkey can continue to be a symbol of Thanksgiving. The Mayans and Toltecs of Mexico considered the turkey to be sacred. They honored them for their beauty and their cocky pride and occasionally used the bird as a symbol of virility. The Creek tribes still practice the turkey dance at fire festivals. Many tribes use turkey feathers in their rituals.

They’re welcome to come to my place. I’ve got plenty of turkey feathers floating around my yard.

I, however, find myself looking up hoping for a glimpse of an eagle in flight. It seems much more inspiring than the turkeys in my driveway.

Copyright © 2012 by Ted Huffman. I wrote this. If you want to copy it, please ask for permission. There is a contact me button at the bottom of this page. If you want to share my blog a friend, please direct your friend to my web site.