The Great Seal of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is the state seal

Seals of the U.S. states

The following gallery displays the official seals of the 50 states, federal district, and territories of the United States of America:-See also:* Coat of Arms of the U.S. States* Seals of Governors of the U.S. States* Flags of the U.S. states...

 for the U.S. state

U.S. state

A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...

 of Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...

. Unlike most state seals, it has an obverse and a reverse.

Description

The obverse of the seal has a central image of a shield containing a ship under full sail, a plow, and three sheaves of wheat. These symbols represent the importance of commerce, labor, perseverance, and agriculture to the state's economy, as well as several of its geographic components (Philadelphia

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...

 represented by the ship, for example). On either side of the shield are a stalk of Indian corn and an olive branch

Olive branch

The olive branch in Western culture, derived from the customs of Ancient Greece, symbolizes peace or victory and was worn by brides.-Ancient Greece and Rome:...

, representing the state's recognition of its past and hopes for the future. Atop the shield an eagle proudly symbolizes the state's sovereignty. The outer ring of the seal bears the words "Seal of the State of Pennsylvania," despite the state's official designation as the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The reverse side, or counterseal, pictures Lady Liberty dominating Tyranny in the form of a lion, along with the warning across the top, "Both Can't Survive."

See also

• Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
  • Symbols of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
    • Flag of Pennsylvania
      Flag of Pennsylvania
      The flag of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania consists of a blue field on which the state coat of arms is embroidered. Originally authorized by the state in 1799, the current design was enacted by law in 1907. In the summer of 2007, a bill was introduced to modify the state flag to add the name of...
      
      

External links

• History of the Seal of the State of Pennsylvania (Great Seal of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania)