<P> In his second proposal, the Indian warrior was replaced by a soldier holding a sword, and the motto was shortened to Bello vel paci, meaning "For war or for peace". </P> <P> The committee chose the second version, and reported back to Congress on May 10, 1780, six weeks after being formed . Their final blazon, printed in Congress journals on May 17, was: "The Shield charged on the Field Azure with 13 diagonal stripes alternate rouge and argent . Supporters; dexter, a Warriour holding a Sword; sinister, a Figure representing Peace bearing an Olive Branch . The Crest; a radiant Constellation of 13 Stars . The motto, Bella vel Paci ." Once again, Congress did not find the result acceptable . They referred the matter back to the committee, which did no further work on the matter . </P> <P> As with the first design, several elements were eventually used in the final seal; the thirteen stripes on the shield with their colors, the constellation of stars surrounded by clouds, the olive branch, and the arrows (from Hopkinson's first proposal). Hopkinson had previously used the constellation and clouds on a $40 Continental currency note he designed in 1778 . The same note also used an Eye of Providence, taken from the first committee's design . </P> <P> The shield of the Great Seal has seven white stripes and six red ones--essentially, a white background with six red stripes . Hopkinson incorporated this stripe arrangement into the Great Seal from the Flag of the United States that he had designed . Hopkinson also designed a seal for the Admiralty (Navy), which incorporated a chevron consisting of seven red stripes and six white ones . The seven red stripes in his Admiralty seal reflected the number of red stripes in his Naval flag . When Hopkinson designed these flags, he was running the Navy as chairman of the Continental Navy Board . </P>

Image of the great seal of the united states