Seal On The Dollar Bill

Topic: The seal on the dollar bill.

General Purpose: To inform/persuade

Specific Purpose: At the end of my speech the audience should be aware of the origin of the seal in the back of the United States dollar bill.

Central Idea: Knowing what the Latin phrases are on the seal and where they came from and also what the pyramid and eye represents.

Introduction: One day as I was sitting around I took out a dollar bill and noticed the symbol on the back. I wondered why this symbol was placed on the dollar bill so I decided to do a bit of investigation. First I will talk about the origin of Annuit Coeptis. Then I will talk about the origin of Novus Ordo Seclorum. Finally I will talk about the seal that shows a pyramid with an eye at the top of it.

Body:

What is the origin of Annuit Coeptis?

The Latin motto Annuit Coeptis was suggested by Charles Thomas while putting together the final design for the reverse side of the great seal. The motto was taken from Virgil, a Roman poet in the first century B.C. It came form his work entitled Georgics which says "De facilem cursum atque audacibus annue coeptis" which is translated as "Give me an easy course and favor my daring undertakings. Smooth my path; condone this enterprise of bold experiment. The official translation of Annuit Coeptis is "He (God) has favored our undertakings".

What is the origin of Novus Ordo Seclorum?

This Latin motto was also suggested by Charles Thomas as well as taken from Virgil from a line in his Eclogue IV which says "Magnus ab integro seclorum nascitur ordo". This phrase has been translated in many words but one in particular is "A mighty order of ages is born anew". The true meaning