What is the meaning of E Pluribus Unum?

E Pluribus Unum. Educational Notes. “ Out of many, one .” This is the literal translation for the motto of the United States of America. It was a motto suggested by a committee on July 4, 1776.

Why is the U.S. motto E Pluribus Unum?

The meaning of the phrase originated from the concept that out of the union of the original Thirteen Colonies emerged a new single nation. It is emblazoned across the scroll and clenched in the eagle's beak on the Great Seal of the United States.

Why does money say E Pluribus Unum?

It was used on and off for eighty years at which time the Fourth Coinage Act made it mandatory for all coins. Meaning 'out of many, one,' e pluribus unum reflects the states' willingness to unite under a common currency — a far cry from the many years when the states routinely printed their own.

What does the coin E Pluribus Unum mean?

/eɪ ˌplʊrɪbəs ˈuːnəm/ a Latin phrase, meaning ' one from many ', which was chosen for the Continental Congress when a single country was created from the thirteen colonies. The phrase appears on the Great Seal of the United States and on many US coins.

What does E Pluribus Unum mean in the Bible?

They needed a motto for the new nation, and they chose: “E-Pluribus Unum,” – “ Out of many – one .” The success or failure of the founding of our nation depended upon the carrying out of that motto.

Does E Pluribus Unum mean in God we trust?

These two mottos create some tension when we think of them together. The most obvious difference is that E Pluribus Unum refers to political unity while IGWT refers to a vague form of religious unity, the belief in God and the need for us to trust this God (however defined) in order to be a good American.

E Pluribus Unum | Encyclopedia.com (2024)

gale

views updated May 11 2018

"E PLURIBUS UNUM" (Out of many, one), motto featured on the Great Seal of the United States. After declaring independence, the Continental Congress appointed Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson to devise a seal. In consultation with Swiss-born artist Pierre Eugène du Simitière, they selected E Pluribus Unum, motto of the popular London-based anthology, Gentleman's Magazine, to emblematize the diversity of the American people. Scholars have not located the exact phrase in classical literature, but Virgil's Moretum contains a similar expression. Subsequent committees kept this motto, but substituted an eagle for the proposed heraldic shield. Adopted by Congress on 20 June 1782, the Great Seal appears on numerous currencies, seals, and flags.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

McDonald, Forrest. E Pluribus Unum: The Formation of the American Republic, 1776–1790. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1976. A history of the critical period taking E Pluribus Unum as its theme.

Patterson, Richard S., and Richardson Dougall. The Eagle and the Shield: A History of the Great Seal of the United States. Washington, D.C.: Office of the Historian, Bureau of Public Affairs, Department of State, under the Auspices of the American Revolution Bicentennial Administration, 1976. The most thorough history of the Great Seal, its origins, components, and official uses.

Benjamin H.Irvin

See alsoSeal of the United States .

Dictionary of American History Irvin, Benjamin H.

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

Citation styles

Encyclopedia.com gives you the ability to cite reference entries and articles according to common styles from the Modern Language Association (MLA), The Chicago Manual of Style, and the American Psychological Association (APA).

Within the “Cite this article” tool, pick a style to see how all available information looks when formatted according to that style. Then, copy and paste the text into your bibliography or works cited list.

Because each style has its own formatting nuances that evolve over time and not all information is available for every reference entry or article, Encyclopedia.com cannot guarantee each citation it generates. Therefore, it’s best to use Encyclopedia.com citations as a starting point before checking the style against your school or publication’s requirements and the most-recent information available at these sites:

Notes:

Most online reference entries and articles do not have page numbers. Therefore, that information is unavailable for most Encyclopedia.com content. However, the date of retrieval is often important. Refer to each style’s convention regarding the best way to format page numbers and retrieval dates.
In addition to the MLA, Chicago, and APA styles, your school, university, publication, or institution may have its own requirements for citations. Therefore, be sure to refer to those guidelines when editing your bibliography or works cited list.

oxford

views updated May 18 2018

Pluribus Unum, E Latin phrase, ‘out of many, one’, selected as the motto for the American national seal in 1776 by a committee consisting of Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin.

The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable ELIZABETH KNOWLES

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

MLA
Chicago
APA

ELIZABETH KNOWLES "Pluribus Unum, E." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. . Encyclopedia.com. 16 May. 2024 <https://www.encyclopedia.com>.

ELIZABETH KNOWLES "Pluribus Unum, E." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. . Encyclopedia.com. (May 16, 2024). https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/dictionaries-thesauruses-pictures-and-press-releases/pluribus-unum-e

ELIZABETH KNOWLES "Pluribus Unum, E." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. . Retrieved May 16, 2024 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/dictionaries-thesauruses-pictures-and-press-releases/pluribus-unum-e

Learn more about citation styles

Citation styles

Modern Language Association

http://www.mla.org/style

The Chicago Manual of Style

http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html

American Psychological Association

http://apastyle.apa.org/

Notes:

Most online reference entries and articles do not have page numbers. Therefore, that information is unavailable for most Encyclopedia.com content. However, the date of retrieval is often important. Refer to each style’s convention regarding the best way to format page numbers and retrieval dates.
In addition to the MLA, Chicago, and APA styles, your school, university, publication, or institution may have its own requirements for citations. Therefore, be sure to refer to those guidelines when editing your bibliography or works cited list.

E Pluribus Unum | Encyclopedia.com (2024)

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Citation styles

Modern Language Association

The Chicago Manual of Style

American Psychological Association

Notes:

Citation styles

Modern Language Association

The Chicago Manual of Style

American Psychological Association

Notes:

FAQs

What is the meaning of E Pluribus Unum? ›