# Seal of Michigan > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Seal_of_Michigan > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Seal_of_Michigan.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seal_of_Michigan > Source revision: 1342916954 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Official government emblem of the U.S. state of Michigan Great Seal of the State of Michigan Armiger State of Michigan Adopted July 22, 1835 (standardized 1911) Motto E Pluribus Unum Tuebor Si Quæris Peninsulam Amœnam Circumspice The **Great Seal of the State of Michigan** depicts the [coat of arms](/source/Coat_of_arms) of the [U.S. state](/source/U.S._state) of [Michigan](/source/Michigan) on a light blue field. On the dark blue shield the [Sun](/source/Sun) rises over a lake and [peninsula](/source/Peninsula), a [man](/source/Man) with a raised hand in peace and his other hand holding a long [gun](/source/Gun), representing a readiness to defend the state and nation.[1][2] The [elk](/source/Elk) and [moose](/source/Moose) are symbols of [Michigan](/source/Michigan), while the [bald eagle](/source/Bald_eagle) represents the [United States](/source/United_States).[1] The design features three [Latin](/source/Latin) mottos. From top to bottom they are: 1. On the red ribbon: *[E Pluribus Unum](/source/E_Pluribus_Unum)*, "Out of many, one", a motto of the United States 1. On the blue shield: *Tuebor*, "I will defend",[3] meant to emphasize Michigan's being located at a national boundary[2] 1. On the white ribbon: *Si Quæris Peninsulam Amœnam Circumspice*, "If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you", which is the official state motto. It was adopted in 1835 and is said to have been suggested by the tribute to architect [Christopher Wren](/source/Christopher_Wren) at [Saint Paul's Cathedral](/source/Saint_Paul's_Cathedral) in London, which reads *Si monumentum requiris, circumspice* (Latin "If you seek [his] monument, look around you"). This seal was adopted in the year of 1835, on June 22.[4] Public Act 19 of 1963 states that "The great seal shall be comprised of the coat of arms of the state around which shall appear the words 'great seal of the state of Michigan, A.D. MDCCCXXXV'."[5] ## Coat of arms of Michigan Coat of arms of the State of Michigan Versions Historical coat of arms (1876) Armiger State of Michigan Adopted June 22, 1835 (standardized 1911) Motto E Pluribus Unum Tuebor Si Quæris Peninsulam Amœnam Circumspice Legally distinct from, but adopted simultaneously alongside the Great Seal in 1835, is the coat of arms of Michigan. The coat of arms was re-asserted and its blazon defined by the Legislature in Act 209 of 1911 (MCL 2.21–22). It is identical to the Great Seal of Michigan with the legend or circle, "The Great Seal of the State of Michigan, A.D. MDCCCXXXV", omitted. Unlike the Great Seal, the coat of arms may be printed on documents, stationery, or ornaments with no design or words and disconnected with any advertisement (MCL 750.247). However, a person who improperly exhibits and displays the coat of arms is guilty of a misdemeanor (MCL 750.245). ## Government seals of Michigan - [Seal](/source/Seals_of_the_Governors_of_the_U.S._States) of the [governor of Michigan](/source/Governor_of_Michigan) - Seal of the [secretary of state](/source/Michigan_Secretary_of_State) of Michigan - Seal of the [attorney general](/source/Michigan_Attorney_General) of Michigan - Seal of the [treasurer](/source/State_Treasurer_of_Michigan) of Michigan ## See also - [Michigan portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Michigan) - [Flag of Michigan](/source/Flag_of_Michigan) - [List of Michigan state symbols](/source/List_of_Michigan_state_symbols) ## References 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_1-1) ["Office of the Great Seal"](https://www.michigan.gov/sos/notary-services/great-seal). *State of Michigan*. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:1_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:1_2-1) ["State Seal"](https://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/publications/MichiganManual/2009-2010MichiganManual/Seal-WEB.pdf) (PDF). *[Michigan Legislature](/source/Michigan_Legislature)*. 2009. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (eds.). ["tŭĕor"](https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0059:entry=tueor). *A Latin Dictionary*. Tufts University. Retrieved 2014-07-13 – via Perseus Digital Library. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Farmer, Silas (1884). [*The History of Detroit and Michigan, or, The Metropolis Illustrated: A Chronological Cyclopaedia of the Past and Present Including a Full Record of Territorial Days in Michigan, and the Annuals of Wayne County*](https://archive.org/stream/cihm_02950#page/n141/mode/2up/search/seal). Detroit: Silas Farmer & Co. p. 91. Retrieved May 14, 2012. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Michigan Laws Chapter 2; Act 19 of 1963; § 2.42 – Great seal; description"](https://www.lawserver.com/law/state/michigan/mi-laws/michigan_laws_2-42). *LawServer*. Retrieved January 21, 2022. ## External links - Media related to [Seals of Michigan](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Seals_of_Michigan) at Wikimedia Commons - [Michigan Secretary of State: History of the Great Seal](https://www.michigan.gov/sos/0,4670,7-127-1633_95527_95528-22823--,00.html) v t e State coats of arms of the United States States Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Coat of arms of the United States Federal district Washington, D.C. Territories American Samoa Guam Northern Mariana Islands Puerto Rico U.S. Virgin Islands v t e State seals of the United States States Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Great Seal of the United States Federal district Washington, D.C. Territories American Samoa Guam Northern Mariana Islands Puerto Rico U.S. Virgin Islands --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Seal of Michigan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seal_of_Michigan) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seal_of_Michigan?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.